Origins
by Nautica7mk
Summary: Every story has a beginning.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Origins  
**Author**: Nadia Mack  
**Disclaimer**: I Own Nothing  
**Summary**: Crossover with Batman Begins. Friendships forged. Destinies realized.  
**Timeline**: Post Batman Begins and Smallville. **Author's Notes**: The format was inspired by Sonia (Sunrei) because it was really easy for me to understand and transition from one section to another without feeling confused. 

The storyline is simple. I'm gonna establish a link between Gotham and Smallville if my idea is going to work. Do I know where I'm going with it? No, not really. Is this a Lois and Clark story? Of course, but I'm gonna flesh out Lois' character a bit more before I throw those two love birds together.

**Chapter 1**

_Main Floor - Wayne Enterprises, 2006_

It was 10:30 in the evening and Bruce Wayne needed to meet with Lucius Fox. He had called his secretary a few hours earlier and was told he'd be working late this evening. Upon arriving to his office, he heard noises coming from the inside and he immediately went into the defensive.

He opened the door carefully and once inside, the lights were out, the only thing allowing him to see was the skyscrapers that hovered outside the office windows. And then he saw movement on the side. He crept slowly towards the busy perpetrator before grabbing his wrist.

"Hey!" he says commandingly, gripping the intruder's wrist tightly.

To his surprise, he was met with a twist of an arm and a knee to the forehead, throwing him down on his back.

He shook the surprise off and quickly swept his feet against the other, and he fell to the ground. Bruce suddenly found himself on top of him when a whimper broke his focus into two.

It was a woman.

And before either knew it, the lights turned unceremoniously on.

Bruce found himself staring into a pair of decadent green eyes that seemed to run forever. Pinned down and nowhere to run, he was suddenly at a lost to what to do.

"Ahem"

The two good looking specimens on the ground raised their heads at the interruption.

"Mr. Fox" and "Uncle Luke" they say simultaneously.

Bruce looks down on the presumed intruder with even more surprise.

"Uncle?"

All he got in return was a smirk and a hint of annoyance. "Do you mind getting off of me now, Mr. Wayne or will I have to knee you in the groin?" she says sarcastically and then added. "How's your head?" she asks amusingly.

Bruce got up, helping her up in the process. He immediately dusted himself off and fixed his unruly hair. She looked like no niece he had ever seen. He turned to face Lucius Fox.

"She's your niece?" he pointed in disbelief.

"Not biologically no" Lucius replied, greatly amused by the events that just occurred. "Mr. Wayne, I'd like you to meet Lois Lane."

"Hi," he finally greeted her correctly, extending his hand to greet hers.

She didn't respond to his extended hand, and he could understand why. Heck, he wouldn't have shaken his hand either if he was in her position.

"Look, I'm sorry about what just happened," Bruce tries to apologize. "I thought you were…"

"An intruder," she finished for him.

"Well, you were browsing around in the dark," he says calmly. The hours of lectures in the law classes he had to endure in Princeton came to the forefront of his mind.

"It isn't my fault the switch was hidden"

"You weren't looking hard enough," he retorted with equal vigor.

"Enough, you two!" Lucius mediated and turned his full attention to Lois. "It's good to see you again, Lo. Do come by more often," he insisted, hugging her warmly.

"You and The General are the only ones who call me that," she smiled, growing used to the nickname years ago. "Call me"

"I will"

When she left, Bruce turned to Lucius. "Who is she again?"

_Wayne Enterprises - Applied Sciences, 2006 (Same Night)_

"So let me get this straight. Her father is a General for the United States Army," he repeated Lucius' brief description of his niece.

"We knew each other a long time, Sam and I, long before Lois was even born," he explained, walking the hallways of the Applied Sciences division late in the evening.

"Explains why she thinks of you as her uncle"

"Yes and no," Lucius replied, who garnered a curious glance from Bruce. "I'm her Godfather"

Bruce's eyes went wide.

"Really"

Lucius smiled. "She made quite an impression with you, didn't she?"

Bruce unfashionably tries to shrug it off. "Well… you know… she was good… I mean, she fought well…" he brushed a hand through his hair, perplexed. "I'm not explaining myself right, aren't I?"

"Horrible, Mr. Wayne"

He laughs it off.

_Narrows, Gotham City_

Covered from head to toe like a homeless person, Lois maneuvered her way towards a dilapidated building. Her Uncle Luke (short for Lucius) had told her about the Narrow's and how it housed many of Gotham's dangerous citizens, so she made a point in blending in.

Removing a piece of paper held hidden beneath the stained clothing she wore, she noted the last known address her baby sister Lucy had been staying at.

Looking up at the building where she presumably resided for the last few weeks, Lois sighed in disappointment. So this is what she's a part of now. She just desperately hoped that Lucy wasn't out to get herself killed.

Inside the rotting building, she made her way up the creaking stairs and into the room. After the events of the second meteor shower that hit Smallville, she made the conscious decision to remain there until she knew Chloe and the Kent's would be all right.

Everything during that time seemed to migrate like one big giant blur.

Now, a year later, she found herself using any free time she had tracking down her wayward sister. She had even went as far as calling Uncle Luke for help, and to her relief, he had found her, for a brief time anyway.

A smile crept on her face when she recalled her first meeting with the billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne. Come to think of it, judging by the way he presented himself to her, and even afterwards, he didn't feel at all like the playboy Gotham has so easily dubbed him as.

Looking around, she found nothing to trace where Lucy had gone off to this time.

_Swoosh!_

Lois turned at the sound; it was uncharacteristically windy like for the simple fact that the Narrows and its occupants were so tightly housed together, winds were hardly anything that can be felt.

In the distance, she heard the muffled sounds of children being harassed in the street. Lois ignored her surroundings and sped out.

"No, leave her alone," the little boy pleaded.

"Peter!" she cried, clutching the bag of chips to her chest.

"Come on, kiddie. Give it to me!" the harasser commanded hoarsely.

Up above, Batman waited to make his move.

"NO! Go away!" the boy tried to fight back, but the man pushed him hard to the side.

"HEY!" Lois yelled at him, removing the stained cloak she wore. "Leave them the hell alone," she threatened.

Batman looked down in momentary surprise. Where had she come from? She seemed to be everywhere nowadays.

The harasser took out a knife and threw it at her, but he missed by a long shot. As Batman was about to fly down and assist, he saw Lois remove the knife the attacker threw lazily at her and she threw right back at the harasser with intense precision. 

"AHHH!" he screamed, the knife imbedded in the middle of his palm.

Lois kneeled by the children. "Go home," she says softly.

"BITCH!" the man yelled at her.

She rolled her eyes and stood in front of him calmly, her head cocked to the side. "Why don't you go away before I decide to give you a new religion?"

The man's eyes pop out at the implications.

He ran away, weeping.

"So many criminals, just about the same amount of idiots," she muttered under her breath before picking up her cloak. She was dusting it off when she felt another presence behind her.

She turned abruptly and was met with a very imposing figure.

It took but a second to regain her composure. "A little too early for Halloween, don't you think?" She eyed the man in the black bat suit up and down. "Nice outfit"

"You're not afraid of me," he replies in a monotonous baritone voice.

She arched her eyebrows knowingly. "I've seen worse"

_Wayne Manor_

"She thinks my outfits bad," Bruce said, walking briskly across the cave grounds, removing his gear. He's had to meet her twice and both times she ran circles around him effortlessly.

They walked into the elevator.

"Who, Master Bruce?" Alfred followed, wondering incredulously. Since his master's return, he had been awfully cranky.

His secret doorway opened in his study. "Lois Lane," he answered, flopping down the nearest sofa.

"Lois Lane," Alfred repeated. "This wouldn't happen to be the same woman that you presumed broke into Lucius' office now, would it?"

"Not now, Alfred"

"As you wish, Master Bruce"

_District Attorney's Office_

"I want the depositions on my desk by noon." There was a tap on her shoulder.

"Hey Rachel," the voice was vaguely familiar.

She looked up and saw the visitor's reflection on the mirror. "Lois!" she spun around and launched herself into her arms. "What are you doing here? Gotham's the last place I expected to see you"

"I was in town and I wanted to say hello to an old friend." She looked around her scattered desk. "How's crime fighting working for you?" she asks with a wry smile.

"Some times when I think it's getting better, something happens to make it ten times worst," she sighed a bit.

"You're doing the best you can, Rach. Don't beat yourself up for it"

She sighed again restlessly. "Thanks, but what about you? What's going on in the life of Lois Lane?"

"People have got to stop saying my name in full," she quipped crossing her arms across her chest. "As of my life, nothing all that interesting really. School and Lucy is about as simple as I can describe"

Rachel's face softens. "Have you heard from her?"

Lois shook her head. "She's making an active effort to deceive me. She's become a stranger to me now, Rach. I don't know what to do anymore"

"You'll think of something, you always do"

"Thanks for the encouragement"

"Listen, where a bit hectic with work right now." She picks up an invitation. "A friend of mine is holding a Gala this evening. You should come," she says handing her the invite.

Lois takes it and raised an eyebrow upon seeing the name plastered in expensive ink across the invitation.

"Bruce Wayne?"

"The one and only"

"I'll pass." Truth is, there was something about Bruce that reminded her a bit of a certain farm boy she knew. She deduced it to simple tall, dark and impeccably handsome features they both carried.

Rachel was a bit taken aback. "What? Why not? Come on, Lois, I haven't seen you in years regardless of how many e-mails we exchange. It'll be like old times," she wholeheartedly urged.

"If I say yes, will you halt all legal action," Lois says funnily.

Rachel laughs. "You got it"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Hopkins Dormitory, Metropolis University (Afternoon) _

Clark exited Adrian's Hall to meet up with Chloe in the center court. By the time he made his way to her, she had hung up her phone.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Oh, that was Lois," she answered simply. Clark is surprised, they haven't heard from Lois for a couple of months now.

"Is she okay? Where is she? Did she mention when she was coming back?" he questioned making Chloe's mind spin recklessly out of her head. 

"Whoa, Clark, take it easy. She's fine"

"Well…" he says a little impatiently. "Where is she?"

She shrugged. "I don't know"

"What do you mean…" he shrugs, imitating her. "I don't know. Didn't you ask?"

"Honestly… no"

"Chloe"

"Clark, she's a big girl. If she needs our help, she'll call us"

When Clark was left alone to his thoughts, he went over the last few months since she left. It's no secret to anyone that knew him that he missed her. He attended Central Kansas with Lois and when they did, they truly got to know each other without any of that hostility they shared earlier in the relationship.

He hasn't heard from her for two months and it has him a little worried. He even went as far as thinking maybe what happened between them during spring break pushed her away. He just hope she wasn't in any kind of trouble, because if he knew Lois better than he thinks he knows her. If she's in trouble, she won't come running to him for help. She's just so stubborn that way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Wayne Gala, Wayne Manor (Night) _

Bruce Wayne entered from the foyer and into the magnificent ballroom. It was a black tie event and so everyone was certainly dressed for the occasion.

"May I offer you a bubbly, Master Wayne?" Alfred came by with a tray of the world's finest champagne.

Bruce had been temporarily distracted by two ladies adjoined in what seemed to be a lively discussion across the room.

"I don't mind if I do," Bruce replied absentmindedly, taking a couple of glasses off Alfred's tray before making his way to the other side.

"Ladies!" he boyishly interrupted.

The men and woman around the chatter stopped what they were doing while the two women he set his sights on remained impassive. He gestured the two filled champagne glasses to them in hopes that one, preferably both, takes them.

Rachel smiled. "Thanks Bruce." Lois on the other hand wasn't falling for it.

"I don't drink"

District Attorney Rachel Dawes just about choked on her drink when she heard that. "Since when?" she says in a shocked manner.

Bruce eyed the two ladies curiously. "You two know each other?" It was obvious judging from their camaraderie that they knew each other.

"We met three summers ago in Italy," Rachel explained, oblivious to Lois and Bruce's two minute history together. "We've been friends ever since. If only she would visit me more often though," she added with an attempt to make her visit the city more often.

"Oh, hey now, come on. We're very busy people"

"Uh huh, busy getting kicked out of colleges all right," Rachel couldn't help but joke out about. She laughed hysterically when she got the e-mail from Lois claiming that she got booted out of Metropolis University for a binging incident. Getting kicked out is no laughing matter, but when your subject line read 'College is Evil,' how else was she suppose to react?

Bruce raised his eyebrows in even more surprise. "You got kicked out?"

"Well aren't you a regular twenty questions," Lois observed, remarking on how many times he had asked her the simplest questions.

Rachel stood between them and saw something that may be she wasn't suppose two. As the attorney in the matter, she couldn't help but wonder…

"Have you two met already?"

"Yes," Lois says. "No," Bruce says at the same time as Lois but then took it back... "I mean, briefly. We met briefly, but I hardly call that a meeting," he recovered in the end.

"Should I even ask what happened?"

"He attacked me," Lois simply put.

Rachel's eyes go wide with uncertainty; she turned to Bruce, her eyes slightly blazing. "You attacked her!"

"Only by accident," he defends himself. "I thought she was burglar"

"How many burglars can walk into a highly secured Wayne Enterprise facility?" Lois crossed her arms and looked at the billionaire sternly, awaiting his rebuff.

Bruce held back the urge to verbally lash at her but realized that between Rachel and the very interesting Miss Lane, he'd fail in his attempts anyway.

"Okay, you're right, I was wrong and I apologize," he expressed sincerely.

Lois was unaffected by his charms. She intertwined her arms with Rachel's. "Look," she pointed as Rachel's gaze follows. "There's someone over there that needs to be interrogated"

Rachel chuckled at her. "That's the buffet table, Lois"

"And that doesn't make it any less important, now come on, I think I see strawberries coated with chocolate," she pulled.

As they glided across the room, Bruce looked on with a mixture of bewilderment and intrigue. Who exactly is Lois Lane?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Wayne Gardens, Wayne Manor (Night) _

Contrary to popular belief, Lois was never the party girl type. She came, she drank and she left. This time, she was actually made to mingle.

"I always thought my parties were a bore," someone comments from behind. Lois has had too many experiences in this sort of thing that she's learned not to react as much.

"It's good the know that the feeling is mutual"

He steps out of the shadows and into the light; Lois could finally stop and see where the appeal to him was.

"Look, I know we both sort of got on the wrong foot…" he began to apologize, again. "So if you'll allow me, I'd like to properly introduce myself." He extends his hand once more. "My name is Bruce Wayne"

Lois eyed him for a few seconds, staring into his features to prove that his sincerity was false, but in all honesty, she saw none.

She finally shakes his hand.

"Lois Lane"

Bruce smiled. "It's nice to meet you"

She let go and stared into his garden, so rich with plants and flowers. "You don't strike me as the gardening type"

He chuckles at the observation. "You're right, I'm not," he confirmed, leaning down to smell the flowers. "My mother loved it though. In some ways, I keep it around just to remind myself that she'll always be with me," he uncharacteristically revealed. Bruce Wayne is never the person to reveal something so personal, especially to a remote stranger.

Lois caught the shift in emotion throughout his face and she wondered if there was more to the billionaire than what she has been told. In the end, she decided to remain silent.

And as if coming from nowhere, a bat flew out from beneath the bushes and Lois almost found herself screeching.

"I'm sorry, are you all right," Bruce asked in concern.

"No, thanks, I'm all right... that was... unexpected"

"Gotham's known for its bats," he attempts to scurry her mind elsewhere, the previous nights events at the Narrows becoming a clear memory in his mind. He has spent a year keeping his dual identities a secret from strangers, this was no different.

"So I've noticed," she remarked, the attack left her unfazed.

"You don't look surprised"

She looked at him and grinned. "You should try visiting Smallville sometime"

Somehow, he knew that wasn't an invitation.

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_Batcave, Wayne Manor (End of Night)_

Bruce sat contemplatively in front of several massive plasma screens, pushing on various buttons beneath each screen. One screen particularly caught his eye.

Alfred couldn't help but notice his change in extracurricular activities.

Like Master Bruce, he too stared at vision of the woman that has entranced his Master's attention all throughout the night. To be honest, he was glad of it. It'd bring some light into his often very dark life.

"What have you found, sir?"

"Lois Lane"

"I can see that, Master Bruce. I meant, about her"

"Oh, right." He sat up a lot more comfortably on his chair as he pressed a few more keys. "Lois Joanne Lane. Born West Germany, has a younger sister named Lucy but…" With a few more strokes, he added… "There's a gap"

"A gap, sir?"

"Uh huh, a gap… Rachel mentioned how she got kicked out of school, and I sort of got a little curious about it so… yes, I noticed a gap. She mysteriously left school for two weeks before graduation."

"Couldn't she have waited till after she graduated to do that, sir?"

"That's what I initially thought, but then I realized that there's no information about it whatsoever in her files"

"Enlighten me, Master Bruce"

He smiled. "What I meant is that there are no records as to why she left. Nothing at all, it's like she just came back without so much as an explanation"

"If I may, what does this have to do with us?"

"Absolutely nothing," he concluded.

"Excuse me"

Bruce remained silent.

"Sir is this for security purposes or are we running a background check on your new girlfriend?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Alfred, I don't have time for a girlfriend… besides, I think she's already taken"

"What do you mean?" He didn't notice a ring on her finger nor any indication that she was involved, but then again, looks can be deceiving.

"I found a few photos of her with this… guy," he read closely. "A Clark Kent"

"This is all very interesting Master Bruce, but what does this have to do with us again?"

He shook his head. "Absolutely" Bruce began to answer as Alfred joined him on the rest. "… nothing"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Spring Break, Daytona April 2006_

White sandy beach, the cool warm air and bodies of good-looking strangers swarmed the college kid's vacation capital of the world. Many miles down the coast laid a private beach, equipped with there own swimming pool and cabins. 

Inside one of the cabins, a woman dressed in just a plaid button up shirt looked on from the window sill, watching the man on the bed before her sleep soundlessly. She had been watching him sleep all morning.

The previous night left many unanswered questions.

The mood was perfect.

The setting felt like something straight out of some fairy book tale.

What scared her most is the prince charming she sat watching over for the last few hours.

She couldn't take her gaze away.

They left Smallville and the confines of Central Kansas to have a little fun under the sun and sand in Florida. The last thing either of them expected was falling for each other.

That's what happened.

Somewhere in-between, it happened. It was the one thing she convinced herself she never would.

His back was turned to her, and she felt him stir awake from his peaceful reverie. He looked so much more innocent and carefree asleep. Now, she could tell he had awakened just by the way his head searched for something… or someone.

"Lois," he called out softly. He twisted himself around and saw the figure sitting across from him by the window.

"Hey," he says to her, his voice soothing. He leaned on his side and brushed a hand through his messy hair. "Morning"

She bit her lip to keep a smile from forming, but it was useless to do so. "Morning to you, too"

He wiped his sleepy eyes with the lower palm of his hand.

"How long have you been up?" he wondered, getting his thoughts straighten out. Last night had been amazing, a lot more amazing than any dream he can imagine.

"Not long," she greatly exaggerated, it had actually been many hours but only she had to know that.

"Are you okay?" he asks with love and concern. 

Could it be love? Or was the rug going to be pulled underneath and this was all just some elaborate vivid dream?

Before she knew it, she found herself off the window sill and next to him on the bed. The last of her control has fully wavered.

"I am," she admits truthfully.

He smiled adoringly at her, eyes full of passion, need, trust, acceptance and most of all… she quickly whisked the last thought away.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in uncertainty.

Lois looked at him in a bit of confusion. "Why are you sorry?"

He looked away from her shyly, as if all the insecurities he accumulated growing up had suddenly decided to meet at the same intersection.

"Last night," he began; his face turned a little red. "I'm not… very good"

She smiled and halted his moment of apprehension with a kiss, and he instinctively reciprocated. He wasn't sure if he could ever let her go now.

"Clark," she says softly into his lips as his hands made his way to the buttons of the shirt she wore, which actually belonged to him. She always had a soft spot for all the plaid he wears.

"Let's stay in today"

She arched an eyebrow. "Isn't that what we've been doing all weekend?" she says to him jokingly.

He lets out a low chuckle. "Yes, but…" he paused, giving his next words some effect. "After last night, I have this overwhelming desire to keep you to myself before having to face the world at large"

She kissed him again as Clark slowly pulled her shirt down and off her… when the weekend was over, they were both left with one thing in their minds.

_What happens now?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_Gotham City, Winter 2006_

"So I've got this case I'm working on, I was hoping you could take a look at it"

"Why me?"

"My team has been over this front and back, left to right, and we have yet to find anything. Perhaps a new pair of eyes can give us information that we haven't looked into yet"

Lois shrugged her shoulders. "All right, I guess. Not sure why you would come to me, but I'll give it a shot"

"Thanks, Lois. Who knows, maybe you'd like investigating," Rachel comments, unaware of Lois' own experience when it came to investigating.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_Wayne Manor_

"Good afternoon, Alfred"

"Why, Miss Dawes, it's a pleasure to see you. Master Bruce is in the gardens, would you like me to fetch him for you?"

Rachel smiles at the always endearing tone in Alfred's voice. "No thanks, Alfred, I can go and get him"

"As you wish"

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_Wayne Gardens of Wayne Manor_

"I gave her the files"

"Thanks, I appreciate that"

"I should be thanking you, but I can't help but wonder… why Lois? I mean, she has no interest in anything that has to deal with crime and investigation. What do you expect she'll find that we haven't?"

"How well do you know her, Rach?"

She hated it when he changed the subject like that. "Pretty well," she answered as best she could. "She's outgoing but at the same time, she keeps a lot to herself." She eyed Bruce suspiciously. "Why?"

He remained silent.

"Bruce…" she says authoritavely. "Don't tell me you did a background check on her"

Bruce cast his eyes downward guiltily.

She sighs. "I can't believe you did that. She's a good person, Bruce, there's nothing shady about her"

"I know that," he assured her.

"Then why do it?" she asked confused.

"I just…" his years of grade-A schooling was of no help to him now.

Rachel raised her eyes, waiting.

"There's something about her… that's…" his voiced trailed off, not wanting to talk about something like this with someone he had a really deep history with.

She shook her head knowing what the hesitation was about, but chose not to address it. Instead…

"What did you find?" she asked, the attorney in her coming out.

"You weren't kidding about her track record from school." He began explaining the information he gathered. "Did you know she wrote a couple articles for The Torch, a high school newspaper for Smallville High in Kansas?"

She gasps. "Lois? Lois Lane?" Oh, she'll keep a mental thumb tack on that so she could use it against her in their future arguments.

"It's not half bad, especially for someone who has no interest in the field"

"That still doesn't answer my earlier question. Why show her the case? She's a civilian; I'm putting a lot on the line just letting her see the folder, let alone the papers in it"

"I'm a civilian," he reminded her.

"A civilian with a thing for bats, don't argue with me about this Bruce, you'll lose"

He smiled at her strength.

"Fair enough," he nodded. "I think she can help us, I really do"

"How?"

"For one, she's the daughter of a General"

"He's an irrelevance. Lois and her father are not on great speaking terms. She spends a lot of her energy playing the insubordinate daughter. She's nothing like him"

"Oh, she's every bit like him. She may not like following rules and regulations…" he stopped a moment. "Kind of reminds me of a certain Bat fella and D.A. don't you think?" he eyed her with a grin.

"Very funny Bruce"

"I'm just giving you a different perspective"

"Fine, you better be right," she ended.

As soon as she was out of sight, Bruce headed inside and fixed himself a glass of bourbon.

"Everything go well with Miss Dawes, Master Bruce?" Alfred came into the study with all the propriety in the world. He was always a calming presence in his life and he was thankful for it.

After taking a sip, he looked at his long time friend and surrogate father. "What do you think of Miss Lane, Alfred?"

"Really, sir?"

"Really"

"I see hidden talent, Master Bruce"

"I thought so," and then he takes a look at his half-filled glass of bourbon before throwing it into the small hearth of his fireplace, the contact flaming it into life. 

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_Fox's Home_

"I really appreciate you letting me stay with you, Uncle Luke." Lois sat cross-legged on the ground, folding her clothes after her afternoon rendezvous with the laundry mat.

"Not at all, Lo… besides, it's been far too long since we got to spend any quality time together"

She smiled genuinely at him. She's always adored Lucius Fox, ever since she was a little girl. While her father the General was off on some classified mission, or some lustrous event, Uncle Luke had always made the effort to spend time with her whenever he was around.

"So, what do you think of Gotham so far, you were only a baby the last time you set foot in this town?"

She shrugged with indifference. The city was a sight, which she admits, especially when taking the monorail, she could see the entire city just by taking a ride.

"It's… nice"

He raised his eyebrows. "Nice? Is that all? Well, now, we have to have done better than that." He shook his head in mock reaction. "You were always hard to please"

She laughs. "It's a beautiful city, Uncle Luke."

"But…"

"I guess the country life grew on me"

Lucius turned to her in fatherly concern. "Did something happen? In Metropolis?"

"No, no, no… nothing bad like that," she assured. "I practically spent the last couple of years in Kansas… I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I felt like I finally had a place to call home"

"Then why'd you leave?"

"I stayed there too long"

"That's quite a contradiction if I've ever heard one"

She sighed at her Uncle's perceptive qualities. "It was different when it was just Chloe… but there are other people now, people that I've… become close to"

"Whatever it is, little Lo… I know you'll figure it out." He assured her with a reassuring hand atop her shoulder.

"Everyone keeps saying that," she sighs in disconcertion.

Lucius gives out a soft laugh before moving to exit the living room. "You may be your father's daughter, but I'm the one that raised you," he uttered, his voice disappearing towards the other room.

Lois smiles to herself. He had a point.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_Wayne Enterprises_

After a long board meeting, Lucius decided to just get on with what's troubling his mind. "We have to talk, Mr. Wayne"

When everyone exited, Bruce closed the door behind him.

"What about?"

"Have you been looking into my goddaughter's life?" he says simply.

Busted, "I can explain that"

"Please do"

"I was interested"

"Is that all? Couldn't you have asked her out like any other male?"

"Yes," he nodded. "But then I'd have this immediate premonition of her saying 'no' so… I opted for alternate means of… discovery"

After a moment. "How'd you know?" Bruce wondered. Lucius Fox continued to surprise him.

"She's been staying with me, and I ran into some… confidential files. Police reports to be exact." He intertwined his hands together and rested his elbows atop his desk. "Now I wondered, how could she have gotten a hold of those? And then I realized, what if she didn't… what if it was handed to her… and then I wondered…"

"Okay, Mr. Fox, I get it. Guilty as charged"

"Does she know?"

"About me? No"

"I don't know how I feel about you getting her involved"

"I know she's family, but she could possibly provide us some insight into this case. Now, I've done my best trying all other outlets, and so far, we've haven't gotten any leads. It wouldn't hurt to see what she thinks. She's a consultant, nothing more"

"Just see to it that she doesn't get hurt"

"Well, I don't know about that," he suddenly blurted out. He quickly rephrased. "I mean… I've seen her hold her own."

Lucius smiled. That's his girl.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

_Fox's Office, Wayne Enterprise_

Lois is sitting comfortably on her uncle's chair as she waited for his return after an impromptu meeting with one of their clients called him off.

"I see you've graduated from perusing and went straight to leather comfort," a voice joked by the door.

It was none other than Bruce Wayne.

"Don't you have a board meeting to go to?" she says in an attempt to signal that she wanted to be left alone. 

Unfortunately, he didn't take the hint. "Actually, that's your uncle's job, I'm simply a consultant"

"Tragic," she remarked uninterested.

Bruce forced a smile, she really didn't care all that much of him. "That's a beautiful bracelet," he saw around her right wrist in hopes to alleviate the negative vibes around them. The bracelet is silver with a green stone. "Does it symbolize anything?"

She seemed to contemplate her answer.

"No, not really," she replied dryly. It was of course, untrue.

For some reason, he doubted her but he could tell she didn't want to talk about it, so he decided to let it go.

"Do you have any plans?" he asks.

She remained silent. Getting her to open up was beginning to become a difficult challenge. Even unstable psychiatric patients were a lot more cooperative.

When she continues to say nothing, "I'll take that as a 'no comment,'" he says for her. Just then, Lucius Fox enters the office and in a span of a millisecond, Lois' straight face brightened like the sun coming up the horizon.

"What are you two kids up to?" Lucius says.

A whole lot of nothing, Bruce thought to him self.

"Nothing, Uncle Luke, we're just enjoying the presence of these hideous furniture," she replied playfully, smiling at her uncle as she did so. That was the kind of reaction Bruce had hoped he would receive, but apparently it is only reserved to a rare number of people.

Bruce couldn't get the thought out of his mind why he tries so hard to be in her good graces. Could it be that he just wanted the company? Or perhaps a friend outside of the corporate enterprise and Alfred?

He had to admit, the thought was tempting.

_Kent Farm, Smallville_

"Glad to see you home son, how's school?" Jonathan asked.

"Everything's fine," Clark responded, his expression grim. Jonathan had a good idea what, or who, he was thinking about.

"Is this…"

Clark interrupts his father. "It's not Lana, dad," he says calmly. He sat gloomily on a stack of hay. "It's Lois," he adds softly.

Jonathan was a bit surprised. "Lois," the older Kent repeated.

Clark nods, and then casts his eyes away from him and began explaining what had happened between them earlier in the year. No one knew, not even Chloe. They kept that week to themselves. Once he was finished telling his dad everything, Jonathan could only sigh in surprise.

"You and Lois," Jonathan says to himself, saying it more than once wasn't alleviating the shock. He always knew they had a special relationship, but he honestly didn't think either of them would go that route.

His son weakly smiled at him, he could tell he missed her.

"Have you spoken with her?"

Clark quietly shook his head.

And then, the parental part of Jonathan Kent kicked in. "Were you two…" he sort of trailed. "You know… um… together?"

Clark blushes a bit at the question; it was as close to direct as his father could possibly say. He quietly nodded his answer.

Jonathan softly sighed. So they were.

"Were you two… safe?"

It was Clark's turn to sigh. "Yes!" he unconventionally blurted out. It was beginning to get a little uncomfortable.

"I was just making sure, son," he assured, supporting him. "You know I trust you to make good decisions and you're old enough to tell the difference. I just thought you would wait…"

"And so did I," Clark replies to defend his actions. "Everything was perfect when we were together, we didn't expect it to go as far as it did, but I don't regret it," he admits emotionally.

"It's okay, son." Jonathan puts a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm not disappointed… I'm just surprised"

"You and me both"'

"Are you going to try to see her?"

"If she'd let me. I just found out from Chloe the other day that she was staying with her uncle in Gotham." Clark sighed once more. "I didn't even know she had another uncle," he expressed a little bitterly.

"Clark," Jonathan says trying to comfort him.

"I gave her the bracelet, dad," he suddenly revealed.

Jonathan stopped and looked at him in confusion, and then it dawned on him. The Kawatche bracelet that was given to him by Kayla many years ago, the bracelet that, according to her people was meant for the person his son would love and spend the rest of his life with.

This news startled him, but not in a bad way.

"Why?" Jonathan could only ask.

Clark took a deep breath and leaned back on the barn as he continued to sit on the stack of hay. "Because I was happy… and hopeful. Because whenever I'm with her I can feel like I can do anything and that I'll never be alone"

"And all that happened in a week?" Jonathan wanted to remain the rational one, the one who wants to make sure that his son was making his choices on the right decisions, not the misguided ones.

"No," he answered simply, understanding his father's skepticism. His history with relationships hasn't exactly been flattering. "My feelings… for her has changed a little bit before that"

"Oh"

"Yeah, can you believe it? I couldn't stand her when we first met, but... after living with her, sharing space with her and going to school with her, everything I thought she was… I know now was only the surface of her showing. There's so many amazing things about Lois, dad"

Jonathan smiled despite the situation. It is true. To the average person, Lois Lane wouldn't be their ideal person, but if you wait long enough and see past the toughness that had been built after years of keeping people at a distance, there's more to Lois Lane than meets the eye and what you'll find will leave you in wonder.

"Then find her," his father exclaimed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes**: Yay, I'm back. I've neglected this story enough. Not intentional, mind you. I hope this update is okay. If you're wondering why I titled this story 'Origins' it is because I wanted to introduce how Lois, Clark and Bruce become friends and allies. So yeah, stop hating on poor Bruce. wink

Into the night with a back pack over his shoulder, Clark Kent wandered the streets of Gotham City, wondering how in the world he was going to approach Lois. It was his first time in Gotham and he didn't know what to make of it.

Suddenly, with his senses attuned to the unfamiliar environment, he notices he isn't alone.

Clark felt a knife-like pressure on his back. "Give me your bag, fella!" He heard a man behind him say. "Or someone's gonna get hurt." His hearing then picked up another felon.

Clark took a deep breathe. It didn't matter where he was or what he was doing, trouble always knew how to find him without him even trying. Before Clark could do anything about it, something dark and black jumped down from above.

"Oh my God, it's Batman!" the thief squirmed, crawling on his back as his companion ran for his life. Clark didn't have to do anything this time because this figure they called a 'Batman' easily comprehended both harassers, suspending them upside down from a nearby post.

"Uh…" Clark was surprised. Normally, he would be in his position rather than the would-be victim. "Thanks."

Clark took a moment to use his x-ray on the man in black and was surprised to know who he was, but he kept the discovery to himself. Besides, he saved his life, even if in fact he didn't need the rescue.

Then Batman was gone and Clark looked on, grinning in amusement. The world didn't feel like a cage anymore and he briefly wondered how Bart was coming along on that league of his that he mentioned when they first met back in Smallville.

Perhaps this Bat character would like in on it, he mused to himself before trekking forward to his destination.

A couple of hours later, Clark stood in front of the building that supposedly housed Lois. The return address of the last letter she sent to his parents led him here. Clark contemplated going into the lobby, but cursed himself whenever he chickened-out, circling his way back outside of the revolving doors.

"Come on, Clark," he says to himself, stretching his neck left and right as if he was about to fight for a heavy-weight belt in a boxing ring. "You can do this," he encouraged himself.

After pacing back and forth, he took a deep breath, turned around and walked straight towards the revolving doors again, but before he could make it there, he bumps into the most unlikely person.

_What are the odds_, he thought.

Clark's eyes go wide. "Hi Lois," he greeted with a nervous smile.

After regaining her composure from the brief interruption, Lois looked at him and all rationality and focus left her body. It happened so fast that she was left speechless in front of him, making Clark all the more nervous than he already was.

If only he knew that she felt the same way.

"The unbearable silence is usually your thing," he tried to lighten, but Lois remained mute and still, making him rethink his actions and perhaps realizing that coming to Gotham to see her was a bad choice.

"Lois," he repeated once more in hopes he would get a response.

"Huh? What?" she muttered without thought. She was still reeling from his presence. "Oh, Clark!" She finally realized. "Hi!" She greeted in return. _Smooth, Lois. Very smooth_, her head chastised.

Clark relaxed; her response far better than any of the other his head had so dramatically cooked up.

"What are you doing here?" Lois managed to ask while simultaneously resting her hands behind her back.

Clark smiled without trying to look over-eager. "I wanted to see you," he answered a bit too cautiously. "I haven't heard from you… and my mom mentioned you were in Gotham," he added.

"Oh," was her only reaction.

"I should go," Clark gestured away. It was obvious that he wasn't welcomed. This was a mistake.

Clark turned around to make a quick leave when he felt her hand grip his shoulder.

"No, please don't," she called back to him. Clark turned to look at her in the eye. They had so many unfinished words to say to each other, but neither really knew how to go about it. "I'm just." She paused. "Surprised"

"I hope I didn't come at a bad time"

Lois shook her head. "You didn't." She looked at her watch and chuckled. "Actually, you did"

Clark bowed his head in defeat but then felt Lois's finger lift his chin up to her eyes.

"Come with me," she says with a smile.

Clark gave her a smile of his own. "You sure?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't," she answered him honestly.

Clark nodded happily, relieved that she didn't flat out turn him away. As they walked side-by-side, Clark began talking about what's been going on in Smallville and Metropolis since she left. Although he noticed a lack of participation in her side when it came to sharing her experiences, he understood that his impromptu appearance was a little overwhelming and was just thankful that she was listening to him.

Along the busy street, a limousine passed the walking duo. The occupant inside immediately threw off his sunglasses and glanced at the two.

"Alfred," he called out.

"Yes, Master Bruce?"

"Was that Miss Lane we just passed?" Bruce wanted to confirm. Her male companion seemed awfully familiar as well.

Alfred glanced at his rear-view mirror and saw the beautiful Miss Lois Lane in the reflection. "Yes, Master Bruce, I believe so"

"Do you think they're together?"

Amused… "Let's see. They're young, they're beautiful, and they're walking side-by-side having a jolly good time. Hmm, I think they may very well be, Master Bruce," Alfred says in a teasing tone.

Bruce smirked. "Your humor kills me, Alfred."

"I do my best, sir"

Bruce continued to smile and looked back at the walking couple one last time, concluding that Lois Lane certainly had a weakness.

_Lucky guy_

**To be continued… **


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes**: Another day, another update. Still doing some tinkering with "Legacy," so don't expect that to be coming in left and right. I work fast, but not as fast as Dana (Go Dana!)

_District Attorney's Office_

"Uh… Lois?"

"Hmm"

"What are we doing here?" He eyes all the serious men and women in suits, the building was huge. "You're not in trouble again, are you?" Clark teased.

Lois smirked. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that." She caught Clark frown, giving the wrong effect that she intended. She quickly rectifies her mistake.

"Gotham Superior Court handles about 50,000 criminal cases a year, not to mention various other district courts throughout the county," she explained, having gone through the same lesson with her friend Rachel. When she saw Clark interested, she continued. "They have like, 120 lawyers on hand"

Clark is impressed. "That many?"

"They do more than just prosecute cases. Awareness and protection is important to them, it has to be if they plan to get their jobs done right"

Lois's attention wavered when she finally finds who she's looking for. "Aha, there she is!" she says, her pace quickening as Clark tripped a bit to catch up. He was really enjoying what she was sharing.

Lois approached A.D.A. Rachel Dawes.

"Hey," Rachel smiled seeing her friend walk into her office.

"Hey right back." She turned to gesture Clark into the office while Rachel looked on intrigued.

"Nice catch," Rachel comments.

"Not a catch," Lois corrected, closing the door behind Clark as he made his way in. Clark wished for that one second, he didn't have super hearing.

Clark leaned by Lois's ear. "When you said you had prior appointments, I didn't realize it was a legal matter. I don't want to interrupt," he whispers to her sincerely.

Lois was thankful but it was no need. "It won't take long." She looks at her friend. "Rachel Dawes, meet Clark Kent." She looks at Clark. "Clark, meet Gotham's Assistant District Attorney"

"Hi," he greeted her with a handshake.

"It's nice to meet you," she greeted in return, eying the two back and forth with interest. "Don't let the title fool you, Lois just likes saying it, she thinks it makes me look intimidating"

Clark smiles while Lois shrugs.

"It does," Lois says with a smile before removing a mini-disk from her purse and handing it to her.

Rachel takes it, briefly surprised that she handed to her freely in front of her friend. "Thanks, you're a life saver"

"Anytime," Lois replied. She looked at Clark who just sat in silence. He really needed to get out more. "I'll see you for lunch tomorrow?"

"Same place, same time"

Clark stood up as Lois neared the exit. "It was nice meeting you, Miss Dawes"

"Likewise," she responded. "And call me Rachel, a friend of Lois' is a friend of mine"

Clark smile graciously and exited first. Rachel pulled Lois in before she left too. "I expect a full de…tailed report from you." The two ladies watch Clark's… um… features from behind.

Lois held her blush from showing. "Full?"

Rachel nodded. "And don't leave anything out," she replied, teasing her more. Lois could already imagine what majority of their lunch date was going to be talked about.

_Grand Avenue_

Lois and Clark walked along Gotham City's version of New York City's Broadway strip. "Well, that was interesting."

"Oh yeah, what?"

"You're friend, Rachel," he elaborated. "How long have you known her?"

"A few years"

Clark nodded; Lois was just not the type of person to spill her thoughts out. "I'm glad you let me come along, I've never been here before." He looked up at the various buildings surrounding them. "It's amazing here"

"Yeah," she spoke out softly. "Almost like being in another world." Clark smiled to himself. He knew the feeling. "Did you know that the architecture of this city can be traced back to Judge Solomon Wayne during the pre-American Civil War era?"

Clark shook his head, he didn't know that, but the name Wayne stood out into his mind as a mental image of another Wayne appeared into his memories.

"How well do you know the Wayne's?"

"He's richer than Luthor, if that's what you're wondering"

Clark's eyes widen in surprise. "He?"

"Huh?"

"You mentioned 'he.'"

"Oh, right. Bruce Wayne." She remembered now. "Tall, dark and handsome. To tell you the truth, he reminds me of a certain farm boy from Kansas I know"

"Really," he was grinning from ear to ear. She hadn't forgotten him. After a moment. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot"

"Why'd you leave?"

Lois was expecting that, but she didn't expect it to come this soon. "You hungry?" She turned and saw a café and without another word, she headed straight to it.

Clark sighed. "She's so stubborn," he uttered to himself, before showing off a smile and heading over to the café to follow her.

She may be stubborn, but that's one of the reason's why she had single-handedly won his heart.

**To be continued…**


	8. Chapter 8

_Batcave, Wayne Manor_

"I'm always in a state of awe every time I come down here"

Bruce turned to see Rachel Dawes descend the stairs he built as another entrance if an emergency prevented him from using the other, more sophisticated way of travel.

"You could always use the elevator," he mused.

Rachel gives him a sly grin and points at the thing. "You call that an elevator?"

"What's wrong with it?" he playfully defended.

"It's a shaft, Bruce, not an elevator"

He chuckled but then turned serious. "Somehow, I don't think you came down here to talk to me about my interior construction"

"You're not wrong," she nodded, putting her purse on the table and removing a disk. "And you were right, she did find something"

Bruce smiled victoriously, but not in a crude demented way. "What'd she find?" He already knew that they were talking about Lois Lane.

She handed him the disk, and he took it, placing it into his disk drive. The content immediately appears on the screen. Bruce is impressed.

Staring at the information, "Cross-referenced _and_ in order. You sure she's not a professional, Rach?"

"Positive." She directs him to an important link. "See that, if I could make a decent argument, it'll be more than enough to get a search warrant."

"Maybe I should take this one"

"No, Bruce. You're our last resort, remember?"

"I feel used," he reacted with a fake laugh. "Okay, fine." Bruce moves to a drawer and pulls out a pin. "Here, put this on, it's a tracking device… just press and hold to activate, and I should be able to track and hear you," he explained.

Rachel's eyes quirked up in surprise. "Seriously?" The whole spy game was really getting to be an interesting part of her job, even if it was unofficially.

Bruce simply nodded and smiled.

"You always did get all the cool toys," Rachel finished before leaving Bruce to his strategies.

Bruce pulled out his cell and dialed a familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Lucius, good evening, this is Bruce"

"What can I do for you, Mr. Wayne?"

"I was hoping you could do me a favor?"

"I'll see what I can do. What do you need?"

"An invitation," he answered coolly.

"And where might this invitation be?" Lucius' light tone indicated to Bruce where he was going with this.

"To… your home. For dinner"

Lucius was not surprised. "Hmm mm… "

"Is that a yes?"

There was a pause. "Come by at 7… sharp"

"Thanks, Lucius." Bruce hung up and momentarily wondered if her mail companion from earlier today would be there. If so, his visit would prove to be a lot more interesting.

_Robinson Park_

It was getting dark despite the fact that it was only 5:30 in the afternoon. Lois and Clark walked through the city's main park. After their trip to the café, they relaxed into easy conversation as opposed to their more awkward one prior.

"I can see why you like it here, it's nice," Clark tells her.

"I'm not living here," she says to him softly. She didn't want to confuse him more than he apparently was.

Clark's head shot up. "Oh… I thought…"

He deserved an explanation, so Lois jumped in and gave him one. "My uncle lives out here, I asked him to help me locate my sister. When it turned out that she was seen here, it was easy for me to make the choice"

Clark now understood one of the reason's she left. "You could've asked me," he says a little hurtful. "I would've helped. I still can"

"I know," she replied sincerely.

"Then why are you…"

"Running away from you"

"I was going to say 'ignore' but that's one other way of putting it," he says grumpily, garnering a smile off of Lois. "It's not funny," he weakly defended when she smiled at him. It was a smile so addictive, he couldn't help but succumb to it.

"I'm sorry," she smiled. "It's just… you're always such an easy target"

"I can't seem to grow out of it, especially when I'm with you"

"Putting my surprise and stubbornness aside, I am glad that you're here now," she admitted without a trace of hesitancy. Her voice was soft and genuine. Contrary to what Clark may think; Lois _is_ happy to see him.

Clark couldn't help but brush his hand against hers, then claiming it for his own. He was thrilled and relieved that she didn't pull away as they continued to walk along the park's path.

"So you finally admit you're stubborn," Clark says playfully, easily getting back into the rhythm of how they were before she unexpectedly left.

She gave out a low chuckle. "Consider it a moment of weakness. Try not to tell the world, I've got a reputation to uphold"

Clark laughed. "Consider it done"

Then, her cell rings, and for a moment, he was honestly tempted to break it because it always goes off at the most important moments.

"Hi, Uncle Luke," she answered, keeping her hands intertwined with his. He was so thankful she wasn't right-handed. "Uh huh…" she continued to speak with him. "Seven it is," and then she shut her phone off, putting it back into her purse the hung on her left shoulder.

She looked at Clark a little nervously.

"That was my uncle." She let go of his hand, much to Clark's dismay, but he didn't show it. She continued. "He's making dinner tonight"

"I should probably let you go"

"We have room," she recommended, getting a surprised look off of Clark. "What?" she shrugged. "Come on, Smallville, it's not like we've never stayed in the same place before."

Her words brought back memories of them when she lived in Smallville that one year, then college, and before either really knew it, Spring Break.

"I…" he didn't know what to say. "You're uncle?"

"I could possibly _maybe _coerce him into letting you stay a night"

He gives her a suspicious look. "You're not going to make me recite your hobo story, are you?" He'd earned his keep if he had to, but anything but that.

She chuckled and shook her head. "No, that was a Lois Lane original." She looks at him in the eye. "What do you say?"

That about did it. Clark was a goner.

**To be continued… **


	9. Chapter 9

_Lucius Fox's Residence, Gotham City_

Night came down, and Lois and Clark chatted alongside the streets of Gotham until they made it to her uncle's place of residence. Clark was a bit overwhelmed; it looked like a townhouse version of Lex's mansion back in Smallville.

"He lives here?"

Lois smiled at his uneasiness. She put a hand to his shoulder to help him relax. "He doesn't judge," she whispered by his ear, her warm breath intoxicating him.

"Okay," he responded absentmindedly.

She quirked an eyebrow amused before walking up the stairs. She unlocked the door and gestured for Clark to come in. He slowly makes his way into the beautifully textured home, placing his coat on a nearby hanger.

They both hear laughter coming from the kitchen.

Clark turns to Lois. "Are you expecting anyone else?"

Lois shrugged, giving him a no. "Only you," she affirmed. She walked past him and headed to the kitchen, Clark followed closely behind. "Oh you've got to be kidding me," he heard her mutter under her breath.

She spun around abruptly, almost crashing into Clark. "Are you okay?" he asks, concern in his voice.

Lois smiled, caressing his cheek with her hand before taking a deep breath and answering. "I am now," she says softly that it made Clark want to reach out and kiss her. She turned sideways, waving him to the kitchen where Clark was met with two pairs of eyes that were obviously powerful.

The older man approached him with an air of calm and pleasant authority, nothing like that of The Luthor's. He shook Clark's hand with a genuine smile.

"Lucius Fox," he introduced himself. "So you're the man that makes my girl smile," he says with an even bigger smile gracing across his face, which garnered a look of flush and annoyance from Lois.

"Uncle Luke!" she complained.

Lucius continued to smile at the two. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Fox," Clark greeted faithfully in return.

Mr. Fox waved him off. "Hey now, let's have none of that. Formalities are forbidden in this house, Lucius would do just fine," he ordered playfully, yet honestly. It was at that moment that Clark could see where some of Lois's more charming personality traits come from and already had the feeling that he was going to like Lucius Fox.

The second person he noticed almost immediately that he had to mask the surprise look on his face. Standing at about six feet tall with jet-black hair and expensive wardrobe, Clark stood face to face with the dark avenger himself, Bruce Wayne.

"Bruce Wayne," he reached out to shake his hand. Clark was hesitant a moment, not because he found him distrustful, but because he didn't know what his agenda was.

"I know who you are," Clark answered, shaking his hand firmly.

Bruce felt his defensive tone coming out in waves, especially in his grip. He quickly glanced at Lois who focused her attention on both her uncle and this… Clark.

Bruce truly has his work cut out for him. Not that he had any intention of wooing her away. It's becoming more and more evident that Lois Lane has eyes for only one person, and he isn't the type of man to make trouble in what appears to be a serious relationship.

"So what brings you to our fair city?" Bruce asks in pleasant conversation.

Before Clark could answer, Lois interrupts. "What are you doing here?"

"Lo, he's my guest," Lucius explained.

"Whom you failed to mention was coming," Lois argued.

It was becoming apparent to Clark that Lois and Bruce have had some kind of relationship. Clark wasn't a religious type, but he hoped to God that it wasn't _that_ kind of relationship.

"It was last minute; Mr. Wayne and I were discussing business." While Lois and Lucius squabbled back and forth, Clark was in the living room, staring intently at all the multi-cultured items displayed throughout the room. One item caught his eye, a shield with an emblem on it that briefly reminded him on that one trip he left for Metropolis during his earlier years in Smallville High.

"It's the Emblem of the Order," a voice says from behind. Clark kept his back towards him.

"I know," Clark replies simply.

"Oh, so you know you're history"

"No, I know this Emblem," he corrected.

So the guy did have a backbone, Bruce thought to himself. He looked awfully familiar to him though.

"I was wondering if we've met before?" asks Bruce who never forgets a face.

Clark finally turned around and shook his head. "No, I don't think so," he lied. They met while he was portraying his alter-ego, but I doubt he'd want to know that and the last thing he wanted was one of the world's most richest men asking him questions about how he found out. He's had enough of that with one other millionaire to last him two lifetimes.

"So how long have you and Miss Lane known each other?"

"What does it matter to you?" he questioned him in return.

"I'm only curious"

"Okay fellas," Lucius walks into the room. "Dinner's ready, I'm not a half-bad cook," he assured. The two men chuckle at the older man's enthusiasm before following him to the other room where Clark sees Lois by the stove.

With the awkward conversation he and Bruce had before, it quickly disappeared as Clark inched nearer to Lois's side. Bruce observed.

"I seriously hope you're not cooking," he says coming up behind her over her right shoulder, his left hand resting around her midsection. Bruce's suspicion was confirmed. Lois Lane is taken.

She tilted her head to the side and looks at Clark with a grin. "Sadly, no. I've been demoted from chopping vegetables to tossing a pre-made salad bag into a bowl."

Clark looked back at her with a teasing smile. "Well, I think you're doing a great job. I especially like that 'grip the bowl' technique," he says watching Lois flip the salad bag upside down while the contents fall into the bowl she held in her other hand.

"Oh, well I'm glad that you're humor wasn't lost on your way here"

Clark smiled brightly before a resounding 'ahem' was heard by the other half of their company.

Clark flushed a bit red at being caught so openly by the affectionate words he and Lois were sharing. He stepped back to let go when he felt Lois's hand stop him on her midsection. He was surprised yet ecstatic at what this could mean.

"Come on everyone before our food gets cold," Lucius urged, winking at Lois at the same time. It was such a good change to see his girl smiling so much. This young man seems like a good enough guy for her.

All four sat down to eat which was quickly followed by lively chatter, and for two hours, they sat comfortably around the dinner table talking of tales and experience. Conversation ranged from politics, to economics, art and even music.

For Bruce, it was a welcomed change. As much as he enjoyed his regular conversations with Alfred, and his sporadic interludes with both Mr. Fox and Rachel, the only other times he's had an opportunity to participate in group talks were in the company of businessmen, not friends. He hoped this would be a first of many.

For Lucius, it too was a welcomed change to have his dinner table filled with pleasant faces. His goddaughter, Lois, for one, and of course Bruce. This Clark character was winning his approval with little effort and he couldn't be happier for his Lo.

Clark sat and conversed with them happily and without fear of judgment. It was rare for him, other than his parents and Chloe, and sometimes even Lana; he rarely found himself in this kind of position where the subject of conversation wasn't about meteor freaks or himself. It was a refreshing change and it was a change he didn't mind at all. It also amazed him how easily Bruce differentiated himself against Batman. He wondered himself whether he was capable of such a disguise. Perhaps one day.

Lastly, Lois sat eying each man that surrounded her closely. Two of them meant the world to her, and the third, Bruce, well; he's somewhat of an enigma. Unpredictable to her but he seemed to have tamed his attempts to get to know her by simply putting away the confidence and letting the rest of them see the man. She finally had to admit that he was a decent guy and was thankful all of them got along.

When dinner was through, Lois and Clark helped with the dishes as Lucius and Bruce conversed a little more about business.

Clark passed the washed plate to Lois while she wiped it dry. "Thank you," he says to Lois, who looks at him confusingly.

"For what?"

"For tonight, I had a lot of fun," he tells her sincerely.

She smiles at him in return. "Me too"

This time, Clark didn't let his fears get in the way. He kissed her softly and when it was returned, Clark cupped her cheek forgetting all about the wet soapy dishes in his hand. They break apart, Clark apologizing profusely as Lois just chuckled.

"Sorry," he says again.

"It's all right, Clark, no harm done." She hands him the dish cloth so he could do the honors. Clark grins and took it without question, wiping the foamy soap of her soft cheek. The touches and close proximity between them were electrifying.

"We should finish up and join your uncle"

"We should," she agreed, but not looking all that convincing.

Clark took a deep breath, trying his best to keep some kind of distance, but he was failing miserably.

"I think I hear your uncle calling," he says but he really wasn't.

"Hmm…" she mumbled, their lips inching closer.

Just as their lips were about to meet once more, Bruce burst in. Lois will have to rethink about her earlier assessment of Mr. Wayne.

"I'll be heading out," he announced, putting on his coat. "Clark, it was great to meet you," he shook Clark's hands once more before turning to Lois. "Miss Lane," he nodded politely.

"It's Lois, you can call me Lois," she says.

Bruce smiled gratefully.

"Goodnight Lois"

"You too"

Once he was gone, Clark turns to her. "He seems like a nice guy"

"Uncle Luke is a good judge of character"

"I thought he didn't judge"

"Not right away," she smiled.

Clark grinned.

**To be continued…**


	10. Chapter 10

_Lucius Fox's Residence, Gotham City (Late at night) _

Beneath the blanket of the moonlight, a figure stirred in their sleep. Thoughts, dreams and memories drove her restlessly in every direction of her bed, leaving every spot touched by her sleepless body. Then a sudden feeling of warmth on her ankle bolted her upright.

"Who?" she automatically spoke out, her eyes attempting to quickly adjust to the darkness.

"Shhhh… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Clark whispered at the end of her bed. He had heard her heart rate spike up in his room down the hall and he couldn't let himself fall asleep until he was absolutely sure she was all right.

Lois lifted a hand to her forehead and then brushed it through her hair, stopping just at the top. She rested her elbow on her knee as she simultaneously covered her half-exposed body with her free hand.

"Couldn't sleep?" Clark managed to ask her, his voice remained low as to not awake her godfather.

"It's been a long week," Lois replied, softly.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Lois kept still and silent, a skill he learned she was very good at once you truly got to know her. The first night they spent together, he awoke to find her watching him. She didn't have to say anything because her eyes spoke volumes.

This night was no different.

"Do you mind if I stay… sleep… I mean, stay to watch you sleep for a while?" he aks, stuttering with great complexity. Clark averted his eyes away from hers, hoping to hide his embarrassment.

Instead of mock laughter or further discomfort, he felt Lois's hand intertwine with his own.

"You don't have to"

His head shot up. "But I want to," he replied truthfully, their eyes locking despite the darkness of the night.

And then, Lois pulled her hand away from his and found herself trapped in her own cage. Clark was like four walls she couldn't escape from and she wondered what propelled her to make such a dangerous decision to have him stay near her.

Lois closed her eyes, knowing his bore confusion and perhaps, anger.

"Why'd you really leave, Lois?" Lois has avoided the conversation long enough, but he wanted to know.

And so the real question's begins.

Lois opened her eyes and focused on a spot just beyond Clark's penetrating gaze. And she made sure to keep it there.

"Don't you mean, 'why did I leave you?'" she rephrased as she did with him the first time he broached the subject, she knew the real meaning behind his query.

"I just want to understand," he says, the softness in his voice breaking as he longed for months for the answer. "I woke up and you weren't there. You just left."

Clark recalled the events in full detail. From the lovemaking the previous night to the seashell they found by the waterfall they called their own that she left atop the pillow where she normally lay.

He had barely communicate to her since that day and it made him furious… but confused and even resentful that she gave him the best days of his life only to take it away, and without so much as an explanation.

He should've learned from before with both Lana and Chloe. Clark shouldn't have just let her leave, and he regretted that it took him this long to find her.

If anything, he wanted to know why especially when the afternoon and dinner they spent together barely a few hours ago felt so real and natural, like they've always been together but in reality, they weren't.

"I don't… know what you want me to say," she replied hesitantly.

"You're lying to me." Clark got up from her bed and rested his hand along the side of an open window. "You've never held back before, why can't you be honest with me about this?" he added, almost laughing bitterly at the absurdity of the very familiar situation. Clark was normally the one on the receiving end of honesty whenever it came to drawing attention away from his secret, and now here he was preaching it to her.

One other regret he had was not telling her about who he is and where he came from before they… Clark focused his attention back to the present.

Lois wrapped the silver cottoned bed sheet around her body, holding it together with one hand in the center, right above her chest as she stood up. It was a ridiculous gesture considering she wasn't entirely naked, but she had over grown her pastry pajamas, and she shifted to a more feminine sleepwear.

Although, the bunny slippers she couldn't part with.

"It all happened so fast," she tried best to explain, but doing a poor job of it.

Lois moved to one end of the window and Clark remained by the other with nothing else but the pale moonlight outlining them.

"That's not good enough," he tells her softly, eyes still looking outward in Gotham City's still night. Clark never imagined having this conversation with her in an unfamiliar city, and with a billionaire that moonlights as a superhero rodent.

He chuckled at the thought; Clark just can't imagine himself going to that kind of lengths to help people.

"What?" she eyed him curiously after hearing him softly laugh.

He shook his head. "Nothing, I just remembered that some guy in a bat suit saved me earlier today"

Lois welcomed the reprieve from their current conversation.

"Yeah, I know him. The city calls him _The_ Batman. Or Batman. Personally, I'd call him the Man in Black," she says in an attempt to lighten the mood.

It fell flat.

Clark finally turned to her and Lois wished that she kept her mouth shut. She tended to babble when she was nervous; tonight was no exception.

"You met him?" Clark noted her unease when he turned to look at her. He knew with every fiber of his being that there was something there, something inexplicably strong between them, but he knew how stubborn and emotionally detached she can be, so he grudgingly decided to let Lois tell him when she's ready, because tonight she obviously wasn't.

"Briefly"

Clark's eyes rose curiously. "What did you think of him?" He knew from dinner that there was nothing remotely intimate going on between Bruce and Lois, but he can't help but wonder if perhaps that he wasn't the only one vying for her attention.

Lois saw through what Clark was trying to do, divert the discussion to a safer topic. Lois was one part relieved, one part grateful and another part just screamed to tell him how she felt.

"I'm scared," she finally revealed.

Clark finally takes his gaze away from the city and look at her with deep caring eyes.

"Of me?"

She shook her head. "The way you make me feel… it's scares me how easily I can lose myself in… with you," she confessed, hoping her words made sense.

Clark wanted desperately to close the distance between them, but even he knew that's pushing it. Lois continued.

"When you gave me the bracelet that last night we were together, instinct told me to run…"

He knew all too well what that is like. "What did your heart tell you?"

She let out a low chuckle. "Heart," she repeated. "Do you know how hard it is for me not to reach out and give in to you right at this moment?"

Clark smiled at the revelation; even in the dim light Lois could see it. "I have a pretty good idea"

Lois couldn't shake the smile off her face either. "Will you hold me tonight?" she asks softly.

"There's nothing more I want to do than hold you," he responds wholeheartedly.

Clark lifted his hand and reached out to her, and for the first time in months since this started, she took it without hesitation. She wanted it as much as he did.

Then suddenly Clark grinned. "If you don't disappear on me in the morning I'll hold you forever"

Lois raised her eyebrows; then smirked at his confidence. "You're a hard negotiator, Smallville"

"I learned from the best," he smiled with Lois leading him back to the bed.

That night, they slept soundly through the night.

**To be continued…**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes**: It's about time I updated this. I'm still working on "Legacy" it's really kicking my butt right now. Did I ever post that here? checks Oh no, I never did. Well that's just… more work to do. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you like, this story is coming to a close soon.

_Lucius's Home (Continued)_

Lois woke up surrounded by warmth. She turned her head over and smiled at her sleeping companion.

Her movement woke Clark up slowly, eyes waking lazily.

"Morning," she says softly.

Clark yawned, scooping her deeper in his arms, not quite ready to let her go. "Morning," he mumbled in return.

After a moment, "You've got to let me go sometime." Like Clark, her voice fought the early morning wake-up.

"Nah-uh," he muttered as he nuzzled into her hair. Clark refused to let her go just yet, and his childish actions made Lois chuckle more than once.

"You're being selfish," she teased.

"Right… and I'm faster than a speeding bullet too," he quipped, eyes still closed but his smirk betrayed his sleeping senses. "Besides, you can't fault a guy for missing his girlfriend so much"

Lois raised her eyebrows. "Girlfriend?"

Clark opened his eyes, unprepared to explain. He just thought it out loud.

"Well…" though nervous, he made no move to let her go and just adjusted himself in bed so they could face each other. "Aren't you?" That's right, make her answer the question.

She cracked a smile, almost tantalizing him.

"Depends. Will you hold my hand in the hallway and pass me secret notes during study hall?"

Clark thought about it a moment, then shook his head. "No"

Lois breathed out a sigh of relief. "Then perhaps I really am your girlfriend," she smiled.

He beamed at her honesty, not that she was ever dishonest, only reluctant. Just as he was going to lean in and kiss her, they're interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Lo…" her uncle catches the two snuggled in bed. "Oh, I'm sorry." He spins quickly around. "I thought she was alone."

"Mr. Fox"

"Lucius"

"I mean, Lucius." Clark sat uncomfortably. "Nothing happened," he assures him.

"Uncle Luke, I'm decent," Lois finally joins into the awkward conversation. She didn't look as fazed as the males in the room.

Lucius turned and smiled. "A little warning would be nice," he raised an eyebrow, winking at her.

Lois blushes a slight red as Clark himself felt like disappearing.

"Nothing really did happen," Clark continued on, feeling scrutinized under Lucius' very calm gaze. How that works he couldn't even begin to understand.

Lucius gave a low chuckle and a smile. "I'm old but not _that_ old." He gives Lois a good morning kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you two for breakfast." Then he was gone.

Clark fell backwards on the bed, letting out an incredibly deep breath. "This is so embarrassing," he claimed.

Lois rolled her eyes. "It wasn't that bad"

"He's going to be watching me like a hawk now, isn't he?" Clark panicked.

"No he won't," Lois says, trying to relieve his fears. "Besides, that would be my father. And as long as you're nice to me, he'll keep the government at bay"

Clark's mouth falls.

Lois laughed. "I'm kidding." She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him lightly on the lips and Clark quickly gave in. It's finally working for them. "Come on, let's get some breakfast before it gets cold." She hopped out of bed and slides her feet into her slippers.

"What are we doing today?" He would more than happy to stay in bed. They have months of catching up to do, amongst other things he thought to himself with a smile.

Lois thinks about it. "I have nothing planned"

"What about Smallville? My parent's would really love to see you"

"Do they know?"

Clark was uncertain whether to tell her right away. They were just starting out again and he didn't want to push her away so soon in their mysterious relationship. But his mind and his heart were working alongside with each other, they wanted him to be honest with her and so did he.

He finally nods. "Dad does, but he's probably told my mom by now"

Lois nods in understanding. She didn't look upset. Clark relaxes a little.

"Are you mad?"

She is surprised by the question. "Why would I be mad?"

"I don't know," he replied insecurely. "We've never talked about our relationship with anyone before. Not even Chloe. I thought maybe I shouldn't have said anything"

She shook her head expressing the contrary. "No, I'm not mad," she tells him truthfully. "A little afraid maybe"

"Why are you afraid?"

Suddenly, the conversation switched from Clark's insecurities to Lois's. He hadn't realized she was scared of a lot of things. They've delved with a little of it the night before, but not a lot.

"Growing up, seeing people cheat and hurt each other. Or they die and leave you brokenhearted. It gave me a jaded view of love." She paused before continuing. "Is it even love or is it just an excuse to feel better about ourselves?" Lois pulls her knees to her chest, resting her chin on top of them. "I don't ever want to be defined by who I'm with," she ended ever-so-softly.

Clark reached out and pushed her loose bangs behind her ear, stroking her cheek as he did so.

"You're no one I've ever met Lois," he revealed with just as much softness as hers did moments ago.

"You sure you want me. You may end up disappointed"

He smiled. "I'll take my chances"

"I don't want to hurt you"

Clark breathed in deeply. He always believed it was him that would hurt her. "That puts us both in an interesting predicament because it just happens that…" He leans in to whisper his words by her ear. "I don't want to hurt you too"

They were close once again, the heat between them rising at incomprehensible level.

Lois starts, "We should…"

"Head downstairs," he completed.

"Before my uncle…"

"Walks back in here unexpectedly," he finished so easily once again.

Lois stood up and headed to the door. Before exiting, she turns back towards Clark. "I love you." She spun back around and exited before she could see his reaction.

Clark sat at the edge of the bed, smiling and incredibly happy.

_Wayne Manor_

"What'd you think of Mr. Kent, Master Bruce?"

"Lucky," he answered, going through his closet of designer suits. "I've never seen her smile so much since I met her"

"Pardon me, sir, but you've only just met her"

Bruce rolls his eyes. "No need to be the voice of reason this early in the morning, Alfred." He grabs his jacket and puts it on. "How do I look?"

"Just like your father," Alfred admits in a parental tone.

Bruce smiles gratefully at the man who helped raise him. "Thank you, Alfred."

Alfred smiles in return. "Will you be out long?"

"No, why?"

"Miss Dawes called earlier. She wanted to know if you can join her for lunch this afternoon"

Bruce narrowed his eyes, as if thinking. "Will anyone else be there?"

"I believe she mentioned Miss Lane and Mister Kent somewhere between picking up the phone and hanging it"

Bruce grins at Alfred's words. He was always so good at lightening a conversation.

"Tell her I'll be there"

"Right away, Master Bruce"

**To be continued…**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Notes**: Ahhh... another day, another update. The conitnuing normal adventures of Lois, Clark and Bruce continues. Oh, and with a sprinkle of Rachel too. Enjoy and thank you everyone for the kind words.

_Silver-Age_

It was a little past the lunch hour as Lois and Clark arrived promptly to Silver-Age, the four star restaurant located on the corner of Damien and Jude. When the hostess directed them to their table, Rachel and Bruce were already waiting.

Lois gave Clark the brief rundown on Rachel's relationship with him. They've been friends since childhood and even dated at one point before or during college. Since arriving back in Gotham City, Bruce has inherited the rich title of a spoiled playboy.

"Hey Rach," Lois says. The two beautiful ladies greeted each other as the males courteously shook hands.

After reintroductions were finished, both Clark and Bruce pulled out a chair for each woman and pushed the chair forward like in the old time manner were propriety and manners were all the rage.

Once seated, Clark looked over his plate and couldn't help but notice how intricate the plate setting was. Back in Smallville, there's usually the plate, his glass and a spoon, fork and knife. It isn't the case here. He should've paid more attention at the lavish dinners Lex usually invited him to during high school.

Trying not to think about it, Clark dutifully placed both his hands flat on his lap. His right foot tapped the floor a little nervously. It didn't feel like this last night, so he didn't understand where the jitters were coming from now.

Maybe it was the knowledge that he was having lunch with one other of Lois's close friend and a billionaire who also masquerades as a Bat at night. Clark didn't know what was crazier, Bruce as Batman or him growing up with superhuman powers.

"So Clark…" With a single wave, Bruce opened the table napkin and placed it properly in front of his lap. "What do you think of Gotham?"

Clark kept a straight face. "Interesting, to say the least," he answered meekly. He was having more than a hard time differentiating the 'supposed' playboy billionaire to the man that – technically – saved his life the other night.

"Hmm…" Lois starts to begin, knowing his habit with modesty. "Clark had a run in with a certain masked vigilante a couple of days ago."

"He's not a vigilante," Bruce defended. Rachel gives him a brief glance. Clark wasn't surprised and Lois looked at him oddly but he quickly recovered. "At least from what I've heard," he added.

Rachel reached for her glass of afternoon champagne, downing it with one gulp. Clark realized that she knew about Bruce's alternate identity.

All of the sudden, a cell phone goes off. Everyone but Clark flipped open their phones. Clark had his on vibrate so he knew it wasn't him.

With a single pull, Lois flipped her cell closed. "We seriously need to change our ring tones," she quipped. Clark chuckled.

"I have to take this," Bruce excused himself.

"Me too," Rachel soon followed.

When they were out of sight, Lois sighed with great relief. "Oh thank God." She turned to Clark and tugged his tie towards her so she could kiss him. Clark was more than happy to oblige. "I've wanted to do that all morning"

Clark grinned at her public display of affection for him. He could definitely get used to this. "You'll never have to try too hard," he assured her. "Just say the word and I'm all yours"

"Do you mind putting that in writing?" she asks with a wink.

Clark looked incredibly amused and takes his own opportunity to steal a kiss from her.

At that moment, Rachel returned, not noticing the close intimacy her friend was just having. "I'm sorry about that; the office is killing me with all the depositions we've been filing lately." She stopped and noticed a person missing. "Is Bruce still on his cell?"

Lois and Clark nod.

"Is everything okay in the office?" Lois asks with concern.

Rachel responds sadly. "We've got a couple of madmen loose in the city at the moment. We're trying to get as much eye witness reports to make a solid arrest"

"Who's the perpetrator?"

"Two brothers. Mark and Roland Desmond," she answered simply. "We're keeping it low key at the moment"

The name struck a cord with Clark. "Isn't he the chemist?"

Rachel stared at him with surprise. "You know him?"

Clark merely shrugged. "I know _of_ him"

Lois decided to further explain. "Clark is majoring in Journalism at Met-U." She looks at Clark for confirmation. "You did a paper on the theory of genetic reconstruction last year, right?"

Clark smiled that she remembered the little details. "Yeah, but Desmond was just a name on the paper than he was a reference. I never got a hold of him when I tried to. According to my sources, he's gone into seclusion."

"He's secluded no more," Rachel says. "He and his brother have been seen committing crimes all over Gotham."

Lois, looking perplexed, asked the most obvious question. "Why haven't the police captured him yet?"

"Because they're never at one place long enough for us to put the cuffs. Their crimes seem to come at random. We never know when and where they're gonna hit." Rachel sighed. "It's putting Gotham PD and my department at a disadvantage."

"Have there been any casualties?" Clark couldn't help but want to know. If he had a chance to help, he had to at least try.

"Fortunately, no one has died yet," Rachel replied.

Clark relaxed and it was an action not lost on Lois. She reached out and held his hand in hopes to assure him that everything is going to be okay. Rachel smiled at the gesture.

"Are you two…" Rachel pointed back and forth between Lois and Clark.

Clark waited for Lois to answer. He didn't want to push her into anything she wasn't ready for. They've been quiet about their relationship for months, and as long as he was with her, he really didn't mind the discretion.

Lois finally nodded, keeping her blushing cheeks from turning beet red. Clark on the other hand just felt a bit timid. Besides that, all was perfect.

Rachel grinned with excitement. "Hell Yeah!" Rachel gave Lois a loud high five that garnered the attention of several patrons in the surrounding area, including Bruce who was just returning from his phone call.

Clark laughed at the fun display his girlfriend shared with Rachel. It was finally nice to officially refer to Lois as his girlfriend. He was just about to go insane at the possibility that it couldn't work between them before they could really even try.

"Sorry for that intrusion." Bruce sat back down. "Did I miss anything exciting?"

"Lois and Clark are dating," Rachel answers.

Lois nearly chokes on her drink. "Gee Rach. Down with the enthusiasm"

The three chuckle. In a way, Bruce is finally happy to know that Lois is truly off the market. Trying to figure the two out had been exhausting and occupied way too much of his time.

Bruce's continuous observation of Lois didn't fly pass Clark though. He'd been watching him carefully, trying to find out if he really did have an agenda.

"If you excuse us…" Lois announced her and Rachel getting up from their seats. "Rach and I are gonna freshen up a bit." Once they were gone, Clark decided to make his concerns known.

"You're up to something, Mr. Wayne. What do you want?"

Bruce took a sip of his bourbon then putting it down. "I thought we were past formalities. I'm not up to anything, Kent." Bruce already knew he was going to get the third degree; he has ever since they met.

In the ladies room, Rachel pries the 'happenings' between Lois and Clark. "So… tell me. What happened in the last eighteen hours that made you change your mind about Clark?"

Lois grudgingly answers. "You scare me when you keep exact time like that, you know." But then she smiled. "I brought him home to meet Uncle Luke"

"I heard," Rachel grinned. "Bruce told me that much"

"And we talked. Got things out in the open"

"Are you two okay now?"

This time, Lois felt confident to answer. "Yes, I think we definitely are"

Back out in the main floor. Clark and Bruce continued their conversation.

"Don't believe everything you read in the tabloids, Kent." Bruce takes another sip. "I'm not going to seduce her"

"I'm not worried. She's more than capable of taking care of herself," Clark says resolutely.

Bruce didn't like his implications.

"I would never harm her," says Bruce without equivocation.

Despite the antagonism between them, Clark believed him.

"I know"

"If you think…" Once Bruce pondered over his words, "Wait a second… then _what_ the hell are we arguing about?"

Clark just eyed him amusingly.

Back to Lois and Rachel - Lois continues to explain what happened between her and Clark in the last couple of days.

"Wow…" Rachel's says in awe. "That's very romantic." Off of Lois's serious look. "It is… romantic… right?"

"Without a doubt," Lois assured. "It's just… me with a boyfriend. Is that even possible?"

Rachel rolls her eyes. "You were always such a commitment-phobe. There's definitely something about Clark that has your head spinning." A smile graced deviously across her lips. "As the attorney in this matter, it'll be for your best interest to admit that you're in love with him"

Now it was Lois's turn to roll her eyes.

Placing her hand beneath the scan, the faucet begins to run. "I have to get dumber friends," she quipped.

Rachel's splashes her with water.

"Ah!" Lois returns her splashes with a splash of her own. "Assistant D.A. be damned!" claimed Lois as the two women start a water war in the restroom.

Outside, Bruce and Clark were in a civil chat. Once in a while, one of them or both would look at their watches.

Bruce sighs. "What's taking them so long?"

Clark shrugs. "For years I've wondered why women go to the bathroom in groups"

Bruce raised his head in contemplation. "You don't think…"

Clark caught on. "She wouldn't… would she?"

"I've known Rachel for years"

"And I know Lois"

Looking at each other, they knew there was gossiping afoot. They both breathe out deeply.

Bruce suddenly got an idea.

"I have an idea"

Clark suspected as much. "We couldn't do that." His mind though was thinking otherwise.

Bruce smiled mischievously. "I'm going to the bar to refill my glass"

Clark couldn't help but do the same. "You know what; a drink would sound good right about now."

They both headed to the bar which just happened to be ten feet away from the ladies room. But before they got halfway, the girls finally came out… and they looked…

"What happened to you two?" Bruce asked first. Clark had yet to pick his jaw off the floor.

Lois and Rachel looked at one another's slightly drenched image and shrugged. "What?" they both replied simultaneously.

**To be continued…**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Notes**: It's about time I updated this. I've been juggling a few stories here and there, and I thank you for putting up with it. I needed to get this chapter out of the way before I start throwing in the big guns.

_Later in the afternoon_

After lunch, Lois and Clark headed out in one direction while Bruce and Rachel went off in another. Lois, who is now half-drenched, tightened Clark's jacket around herself.

"You know, you still haven't told me what you and Rachel were talking about in the bathroom?" Clark asks, trying to fish for information. He and Bruce were more than a little curious to know what went on in there.

"I can't"

"But I'm your boyfriend," Clark argued.

"I know, but I can't"

"Why not?"

"It's this unspoken rule among girlfriends," she explained in the simplest of terms, but Clark wasn't buying it.

"You can't tell me anything?"

She shook her head. "Nope"

"What if it's a matter of life and death?"

"Call the police," she answers lightly.

Clark grins. "That's cold." He pulls her in and lays a kiss on her forehead. "I was thinking – maybe – we could take a vacation"

"Clark," she says dragging his name out. "Not to burst your bubble, but I think it's safe to say that we're already on vacation"

Clark narrowed his eyes up into the sky, the sight of various tall buildings in his view. "I was thinking more in line of blue skies, warm weather, sandy beach and an ocean we can skinny dip in," he shares with her intimately.

"Hmm." She wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the thought. "That's not such a bad vacation." She kisses him on the lips. "But haven't we done that already?" she asks with a smirk, recalling their earlier tryst several months ago.

Lois had a point and Clark blushed at the memory.

"Come on," he takes her hand and leads her across the street, at the edge of Gotham Park. "It's beautiful out, let's take a shortcut"

"Do you even know where you're going?"

"No"

No matter how in love she was with him, she had to let out a groan. "I don't want to get lost," she complained.

"It's a park," he reminded her, like it was the most easiest and obvious thing in the world to maneuver.

"So is Central Park, and I got lost there twice," she scoffed. "That place should really come with a topographic map"

Clark laughed. "It's not that bad." He lifted her up and carried her in his arms. "See – You won't get lost," he showed her, confident in his directional abilities.

"Of course I won't get lost," she agreed but then added, "I've got you to do that for me"

"Oh really," he says mischievously. Lois caught that look and found herself in her own mischievous territory.

"What are you thinking?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he answers with a wide grin. Clark looks past her shoulder and Lois follows suit. Oh no, he wouldn't, Lois thought.

"Don't you dare?"

Clark walked closer to the pond that was less than twenty feet from the two of them.

"Honey, you're already wet"

"All the more reason why you should put me down now"

Clark hurried forward. "Okay"

"NO!" Clark stopped and she slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "I meant put me down here, not over there." She pointed to the pond.

Clark couldn't help but laugh at how he finally had Lois where he wanted her. As he succumbed to her hypnotic green eyes that beckoned for him to put her down. When he did, Lois swept him down with her right back leg, Clark falling on his back to the grass and Lois right on top of him.

"This is 'much' better," she says with a devilish smile.

She brushed her lips light against his before Clark took the initiative and dived towards her. Their mouths crashing together and emotions exploding. They were like that for several minutes until a man on horseback interrupted their moment on bliss.

"Excuse me"

Lois and Clark look up from their um… position.

"Hi!" Clark squeaked and Lois got up fixing her disheveled hair. They looked at the man saddled up on a horse with his bright shiny police badge sparkling from the nearly banished sunlight.

"We were just…"

Clark tries to help. "Doing…" he wasn't doing too well on the help part.

"Stuff"

"CPR stuff," Clark repeated differently.

Lois rolled her eyes, but then immediately chuckled at the thought. Clark glared at her for not helping the situation much.

"On your own time, please or I'll be forced to cite you with…" Lois cut him off before he could finish that thought.

"Totally understand officer." She pulled on Clark's arm. "We'll be on our way." They walked awkwardly away from the officer and by the time they were a good a ways clear from him, the two broke out in small fits of laughter.

"I can't believe you got us caught like that"

"Me!" Clark was astonished and amused. "You started it!"

She ignored the accusation with a shrug. "All I did was wrestle you to the ground"

"Seduced was more like it"

Lois grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in again for another kiss. One, so she could shut him up and two, because its been entirely too long since they've really been this intimate with one another.

"You're very controlling," he mused in between kisses.

"Don't tell me you don't like it"

"Na-uh," he says, enjoying the feel of her against him. "Whew!" he says amazed at how she makes him feel. "We should really get going"

She breathed out. "If you insist"

Clark put his arm around her as they walked back towards her Uncle Luke's place. On the way there, they shared stories, jokes and kisses. When they made it back, they climbed the steps with a happiness that you only see with couples that are in love.

By the time they reached the top, they shared another long kiss only to be witnessed by the last person they expected.

"Hey guys"

Lois and Clark break apart as fast as they did when the officer caught them.

"Chloe," they both say in unison.

**To be continued…**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Notes**: Marcus, you're right on with the Desmond Brother's, I am utilizing aspects of the DC universe into the story but tweaking it some enough that it'll make some sense here. And yes, the coming chapters is building up to a confrontation or more appropriately (collaboration) between Clark and Bruce. Keep reading and you'll see the pieces start falling into place.

Thanks everyone for reviewing. It definitely helps.

_Luke's Place (Continued)_

Lois and Clark stood oddly in front of an unspeaking Chloe. Guilty thoughts perused their minds in an almost unimaginable speed. Clark stuffed both hands in his pockets while Lois agonizingly crossed her arms. They stood before her in silence.

Her dear cousin.

His best friend.

This was NOT the way they intended to tell friends and family.

Clark gulped before going to bat to speak first. "Chloe I – " his words fell short of an explanation, he was too unprepared to give her a sensible honest explanation. He turned to Lois, hoping she could help him. She opened her mouth only to close it immediately after. Clark wasn't the only one unprepared.

He bowed his head, apologizing doesn't seem to be the best course of action to give, not when Lois and Clark really are in love.

"I guess since neither of you are willing to say anything, I'm just going to say it"

Lois and Clark bring their heads up slowly, a mixture of caution and fear etched on their faces. Lois had always had in her mind imagined the various reactions her cousin would have; sad to say none of them were in her favor.

"How long have you two been together?" Chloe asks in an almost quiet whisper. You could tell she didn't want to ask, but mix the post-lingering feelings of an old-time-crush, her cousin and her ever growing curiosity, it's impossible not to question.

Clark swallowed but didn't answer.

"We haven't been together in months," replied Lois.

Chloe nodded half-heartedly, trying to piece together the last few months. She had no idea that they've been seeing each other way back then.

"It makes sense now though," Chloe says. Lois and Clark look at her with confusion and she elaborates. "You've been acting differently all summer," she says to Clark and then she turned to Lois. "And you haven't entirely been around Metropolis or Smallville for a while, it's not like you to ignore. Now I know"

"That's not what I was doing," Lois rebutted.

Clark gives her a pointed look, Lois sighs.

"That's not _all_ that I was doing," she rephrased to make her actions a lot more sensible. Lois is not one to stay away simply because of a guy. There were many motivating factors that contributed to her absence, but at least she kept in touch.

"Does anyone else know?"

Lois and Clark share a look before answering.

"I told my parents a few days ago," he says honestly. "Other than them, I haven't really told anybody else." Clark turns to Lois. It's her turn now.

"Same here – I mean – Rachel saw and Uncle Luke probably suspects something since we're practically sharing a room. Did I just say that? Forget I said that last part." Lois looked down on her hands and fingers nervously.

That surprised Chloe more than the seeing one another. "So you're sleeping together?" Chloe wasn't entirely sure why she felt the need to interrogate them, and she's even further unsure as to why they felt obligated to answer. It was selfish for her, she knew that.

"No!" They both say forcefully.

"It's been a while"

"Not for a while"

"We were just – "

"I was just – "

The couple was failing miserably as they jumped and hopped for a proper answer, both sputtering one incomplete phrase after another. Chloe stood before them, different sets of feelings caved in.

A part Chloe is happy for them.

Another part of her is envious.

And then there's a part of her that always longed for the possibility.

But there is just no room inside of her to hate them. She can't. She loves them too damn much.

Chloe could see now that her place will never be by Clark's side, at least in the romantic sense. Maybe seeing him with Lois will finally put that part of her life to rest and help her move on. It's about time she truly did.

"Are you mad?" Lois asks in a childlike voice. She only ever did that to Chloe, and sometimes, to Clark's parents.

"It's kind of hard to be when you're shaking in your boots like that," Chloe says with an honest smile.

"I've wanted to tell you," Clark says. "I just – I've been confused lately – I didn't know where Lois and I stood"

"Are you blaming me?" Lois says to him in disbelief.

"No, of course not!" he tells her. "I'm just saying we could've told her months ago"

"So it's my fault?"

"I didn't say that." He turns to Chloe. "Did I say that?"

She shrugged. "You kind of implied it," she found herself answering.

"See!" Lois pointed out. "She agrees. You do blame me"

He groaned. "No I don't," he repeated again.

"Guys!" Chloe says stopping the two from their bickering. She had to stifle a laugh at the irritable display they seem completely oblivious to enjoying. "I'm gonna go – I'll see you two in the morning." She quickly made her way down the steps.

Clark was baffled and Lois immediately cut her cousin off by barricading herself between her and the exit gates, both arms up and ready to keep her from leaving.

"Where are you going, cuz?"

Chloe adjusted the purse she practically forgot she was wearing over her shoulder. "There's a hotel not far from here – "

"That's out of the question," Lois cut off. "You're staying here with us; you don't have to do that. Uncle Luke won't mind"

"No, I think its best," Chloe assured but Lois was having none of it.

"Clark can take the couch"

Clark's brow furrowed. He hated the couch, especially since he started sharing a bed with Lois but he kept his bearing up for friendship's sake.

"I don't want to intrude"

"You're not intruding." She glances at Clark. "Is she intruding?"

"No," he answered automatically.

Lois looks back to Chloe. "See, no one is intruding anybody"

"Lois – " Chloe pleaded softly.

"Look, I know it's weird right now that Clark and I are together – but – Chloe I really want you here and I want you in our lives and I don't want our relationship to change – "

"It's already changing Lois," she replied sincerely. "It has been for a while now"

Behind them, Clark listened in feeling both sad and uncomfortable. This felt like something he shouldn't be a part of. Something only the two cousins can work out on their own; so he felt like he was intruding in an intimate discussion.

Lois doesn't understand. "I know I haven't been around Metropolis to see you, but things couldn't have changed that much"

"You never do give yourself enough credit"

"Chloe, what are you talking about?" Now the older cousin was really confused. She didn't know where all this was coming from.

"Let's just talk about this in the morning," Chloe insisted, pulling her in for a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow. I promise." Then she walked around Lois and waved for a cab. The three smile weakly to each other before she disappeared down the street. Lois remained absolutely still, almost numb.

"Are you okay?" Clark asks, but then mentally slapped himself for doing so. "Right, not okay"

Clark closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back hoping to comfort her.

"That didn't go so well," she says, her voice sound defeated. It broke Clark's heart that they had to tell her cousin this way.

He held her tight and didn't let go.

_Hotel Veranda_

Chloe rode in the back seat of the yellow cab. She saw the light of the hotel spell Veranda the closer she got to it. By the time she was there, something strange happened.

"Excuse me, driver"

There was no answer.

"You missed my stop. The Veranda is back that way"

The driver kept going without halting and without answer. The cab speeds up and Chloe begins to panic but tried to keep it at bay.

"Mis – ter," she gulped, grabbing her cell from her purse. She nervously attempted to dial the numbers but a swerve to the left made her lose her grip with her phone, hitting her head to the side window. "What the – "

A sudden stop pushed her to fly off the seat and hit the divider that kept passengers and drivers separate with heavy force, knocking her unconscious.

In the dark alley, a big tall figure opens the passenger door.

"Is this her, brother?"

"No, her cousin"

"That's good enough"

**To be continued…**


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Notes**: I've forgotten how the ending of my chapters tends to be a bit of a cliffhanger. That's completely intentional on my part; it's something I've become used to. It helps when I end one chapter and then open a can of worms in the end to transition to the next. I can't guarantee longer chapters but I can guarantee constant updates.

_Morning After_

Clark woke up to the awful beeping sound of Lois's alarm clock. He turned over to reach for her so he could scoop her in his arms only to find that side of the bed empty. He got up and looked around and saw that the room is empty. He x-rayed through the wall and down the floor while simultaneously using his super hearing to find her.

There's nothing.

He quickly got dressed and headed downstairs. After seeing Chloe last night, they barely talked. They simply stayed in one another's company until their eyes fell into slumber. They used the act to comfort each other, an acknowledgement that they were both in this together.

"Lois," he called out through the hallway and down the stairs. He reached the kitchen. "Mister Lucius"

The house was completely empty. He walked by the fridge and saw a yellow sticky note.

_Clark,_

_Uncle Luke went to work today and I left to pick up breakfast. _

_Be back soon._

_Lois_

"Whew!" he breathed out a sigh of relief. It's been a crazy few days. Clark went back upstairs but then he heard a door closed. Lois must be home.

Walking back down, he saw a worried Lois lifting breakfast contents out of a big bag from Pinera.

"Morning," he greeted, wrapping his hands around her from behind and placing a kiss by the crook of her neck. "I missed you this morning"

She leaned into his embrace. "I've only been gone half an hour"

Clark groaned as he nuzzled into her hair. "That's a long time." He felt her stiffen and he slowly let's her go. "Are you all right?"

"I called Chloe this morning," she revealed almost sadly.

"What'd she say?"

"Nothing, she didn't answer. At first I thought she was avoiding me." She opened a sliced bagel and smeared cream cheese all over on top.

Clark grabbed a piece of bagel too. "What do you mean? She probably just needs a little more time," he says taking a bite while still adjusting to the morning.

"That's what I thought, but I called every hotel within a fifteen mile radius from here and only the Ventura has a Chloe Sullivan listed in their hotel"

He lifted a curious eyebrow, unsure where Lois was taking this.

"Where are you getting at Lois?"

She turned to him, her eyes gazing intently at his.

"She wasn't there"

Clark is confused. "So?"

"No," she begins to explain. "I mean – according to hotel management, she was suppose to check in but never did"

"Maybe she went back to Smallville," he tries to rationalize.

"Chloe wouldn't do that"

"You think something happened to her?"

"Am I positively sure? I'm not. But do I sense something wrong? I don't want to but yeah, I do," she admits.

"Then we'll check in on it"

_Abandoned Warehouse near the Docks_

"Are you sure about this?"

"Of course, I'm sure. Seems like her dear cousin has been getting it on with her best friend. Interesting conversation to say the least, but I think it's time to teach little miss Lane who exactly she's dealing with"

"And you're positive that it's her?"

"She connected the dots. If Dawes requests for her help again, she'll connect me and my brother to the rest of the case. We can't have that now, can we?"

The goon shook his head.

"Now get back to work"

_District Attorney's Office_

Lois walked into the building looking for Rachel Dawes. She finally finds her with a group of reporters and photographers urging her to say something on record. Like the professional that she is, she gives them enough to satisfy their cravings.

Rachel spots Lois from a distance.

"Lois!" she waved for her to come to her office. After they were safely inside and away from the media. "What's up?"

"I was hoping you could use your police resources to track down a person for me"

Rachel gives her a worried glance. "What happened?"

"Chloe's in town"

The attorney's eyes widen from the implication. "Is she all right?"

Lois's face saddens. "I totally messed up, Rach. She saw me and Clark together and I just – fell apart."

"You can't blame yourself for that; whether you told her yourself wouldn't have made a difference. I'm an attorney; I see it all the time. People get hurt either way and it's never easy."

"Yeah, well, it still could've been handled differently," she says regrettably.

"Perhaps," she had to agree. "But what does Chloe have to do with getting the police involved?"

"She's been missing all night"

Rachel puts on her professional face. "We can't file an official missing person's report for at least 24 hours. What do you got to go on right now?"

Lois explains what happened the previous night and everything that led up to the present. The whole situation was making her nervous more so than usual.

"I'll have my people run a check on as many hotel manifests as they can find and I'll ask a few to keep an eye out, but I need a lot more than your suspicions to go on"

Lois understood this. "What about the cab driver?"

"I'm listening"

"Call Taxi services and request for all known drivers working around my address. If we can't find my cousin, then we find her driver. Maybe we'll get lucky and learn where he dropped her off"

"I'll give it a try," she says. "In the meantime, you need to lay low for a while"

Lois senses something wrong. "What do you mean?"

Rachel sighs. "There's been a development with the case I had you take a look at a few days ago." She paused. "I'm just taking precautions. You were an unofficial consultant; I don't want you getting involved when we get the opportunity to take them down"

Lois nods but remains unconvinced. "You let me know if you need anything"

"I will thanks." They hug. "We'll find Chloe"

"I know"

_Wayne Manor_

Clark stood in front of the gates of Bruce's home. He wondered to himself why a rich guy like him would spend his nights gallivanting in the city saving people while dressed up like a bat.

"Can I help you?" He spun around and was surprised he didn't hear him coming.

"Bruce"

"Is there a reason why you're standing in front of my home looking like you're about to do something to it?"

"Actually – " Clark straightened himself out. "I'm here looking for your help"

Bruce is curious why Lois Lane's boyfriend would show up out of the blue and request for his help, especially since either of them really don't like each other. He reaches by the side of his gate and punches in the security codes.

The gate opens and Bruce gestures for Clark to come on in.

While walking to his manor, Bruce asks, "What brings you in this neck of the woods, Clark?"

"It's about a friend"

Bruce face grew worried. "Lois?"

Clark shook his head as well as some small bit of jealousy. "No, her name is Chloe Sullivan. She's a friend of mine and Lois's cousin," he explains.

"What makes you think I can help?" Bruce will definitely help, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to know certain specifics.

"Because I know who you are," Clark replied bluntly.

Bruce kept the same as always, unchanged and devoid of emotion.

"And who am I exactly?"

Clark looked away and started to scan the premises with his x-ray vision. He looked down and deep beneath his feet, he can see large cave openings. "Hmm," he muttered garnering a look of suspicion of Bruce's wavering façade.

"What?"

Clark looks up, turns around and faces Bruce Wayne. "Gotham City is known once for its underground railroad. The real one this time, right?"

Bruce's suspicions grew more accurate by the second.

"Where are you getting at?"

"Your mansion was built on the very caves the slaves used to run away. Makes sense you'd turn it into your own personal headquarters"

"I'm not following you. And just to make things clear, this place isn't just a mansion, it's my home. It has housed several generations of my family"

"I'm not your enemy, Bruce. I just need your help"

"What do you want?"

"Just to find her and know that she's okay"

"How did you find out?"

Clark sighed. Great, he'll have to tell him now. "You fought a thug off me a few nights ago"

"That was really you?" Bruce repeats almost in disbelief. He's been saving a lot of souls at night that he rarely commits people's faces to memory unless it's called for.

He shrugged. "Yeah"

"How could you tell?"

"The attitude," he lied.

"Attitude?"

"Hmm-mm"

"I don't have an attitude," Bruce proclaimed.

"Are you going to help me or not," he says impatiently.

Bruce thought about it for a moment before finally concluding. "Step into my office"

**To be continued…**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Notes**: Lucky I got this out of the way today, I was almost going to put it aside to post tomorrow but my conference call ended 15 minutes early, giving me some time to add the finishing touches to this update. Hope you like. I'm having a lot of fun tying everything all together now. Enjoy and when you get the time, please review, it' always greatly appreciated.

_Abandoned Warehouse_

"Hey you!" Chloe called out from her cell as a goon passed by. She woke up hours earlier with something similar to a bad hangover. Her forehead had a bump courtesy of her lunatic cab driver whom she concluded wasn't a driver at all. "Come on," she complained. "Somebody answer me!" she yelled.

Another moment passed and nothing happened. She exhaled an exasperated sigh kicking the steel bars while she was at it.

"Ouch!" she rubbed her foot. "Chloe. Note to self. Cell bars fight back," she speaks to herself since there's no one around to keep her company. She regretted hours ago about refusing her cousin's offer to stay with her.

"Ugh! What the hell is going on?" she screamed just to annoy whoever it is that held her hostage. After going against so many meteor freaks back in Smallville, real-life villains tend to fail in comparison.

_District Attorney's Office_

Lois rushed into the office after receiving a call from Rachel about a possible lead. Before that, she got a call from Clark about another lead he was checking up on. They're going to share their findings later this evening, which would be near twenty four hours since her cousin's disappearance.

"Rachel. Tell me you've got something"

Rachel looked over her oncoming friend with sad eyes. "I'm sorry Lois; nothing substantial"

Lois sighed. "Nothing against you but then why am I here?"

"The Desmond Brothers," she answered. "I told you about them during brunch yesterday, remember?"

Lois nodded and crossed her arms. "What about them?"

"I think there's a connection between the case I had you work on and – "

"The Desmond Brothers," Lois finished her thought. "Now we're talking." Lois removed her jacket and hung it on a nearby hook. She moved towards Rachel's desk and picked up her files. "What's you're theory?"

"That The Desmond Brother's are working for Rupert Thorne. A man as methodic and calculating as Carmine Falcone and Ras Al Ghul put together. He's head of Gotham City's top smuggling gang, and naturally, no one wants to go against him," Bruce explains to Clark as they go over the evidence Bruce has gathered in the Batcave.

It wasn't long for Clark to spot the secret passage way, and even though Bruce questioned his motives, they were all on the same side. There was nothing else to hide after that.

"You think he's funding the brothers?"

"I can't imagine them eluding the police and myself for this long if it were otherwise, especially in their state of minds. Thorne is watching their back so the question now is – why?"

"I don't understand how any of this is connected to Chloe," Clark expresses in concern. It's all too much to take in. Bruce looks at him oddly.

"Lois hasn't told you yet"

"Told me what?"

"A few days ago, Rachel had her take a look at a case file that the department has been pursuing off-record. She found several connections linking Thorne with the Russian mob. They've been smuggling weapons into the country for the last year."

"How do you know all this – besides all the cool toys you got down here?" Clark questioned, impressed by his detective skills. Everything he thought about Bruce Wayne at first glance is nothing compared to who he really is.

"I have a contact in the police department. Rachel helps me out when she could even though I don't want her involved most of the time"

"I know the feeling," Clark sympathizes.

Clark remembers all the times Lois and Chloe have gotten into trouble whenever Chloe was on a meteor-freak hunt or he's running away or fighting from his destiny leaving his friends and family in the crossfire. Yes, he can definitely relate.

"Somewhere in between, Thorne got wind of Lois's involvement and took the initiative to take care of the problem. I can imagine that living with you and Lucius changed their plans – at least until – "

"Chloe," Lois completed, slamming the papers on Rachel's desk. "I can't believe I was that reckless"

"Don't beat yourself up with this, Lois. I'm the one who asked for the favor, remember?"

Lois sighed, still disappointed with herself. "No, Rach, it's not that. I usually know when something is out of the ordinary. God! The General put me through survival training since I was seven for God's sake. If someone's been tailing me all this time – " Lois ended up not saying anything further. She's too upset to think straight.

Rachel breathed out her own stress and concern. Everything seems to be falling into place. She only hoped that it wouldn't be at Chloe's expense.

"We'll figure something out," Rachel assured, making a mental note to call Bruce immediately after this meeting. "Remember a few years ago when we hitch hiked across two countries to get to Greece?"

"I think I'm still grounded for that," Lois comments weakly but still trying to make light of the situation.

Rachel smiled weakly as well.

"If it weren't for you, I would've been completely lost. You made things right – sure we got into some trouble on the way, but you always had a way of fixing things"

"Is this your non-subtle way of telling me that I'm responsible?"

"No!" Rachel replied quickly. "It's not over till it's over"

"You're a lot better as a lawyer than a cheerleader, Rach," Lois quipped, getting them both to smile.

Lois looks at her watch. "I gotta go; I'm meeting with Clark tonight"

"Lois, you're living with him," Rachel spouts blankly.

Lois throws her a mischievous look. "It's the principle of the thing"

"Hmm-mm," Rachel dutifully ignored.

They hug.

"I'll call you as soon as anything comes up"

"Thanks," Lois says appreciatively. "And I'll do the same"

_Wayne Manner_

Bruce led Clark back up through the elevator he and Alfred had installed after Ras Al Ghul burned down his house. As intended, they made all the necessary construction from the old wing.

Exiting, Bruce takes another glance at Clark's way.

"Are you going to tell Lois about this?"

Clark breathed deeply, it'll be yet another secret that he'll be keeping from her, and frankly, he was growing tired of it.

"That's up to you"

"Do you trust her?" Bruce asks.

"With my life," Clark replies wholeheartedly.

"It's weird – I barely even know her and I feel I trust her with my life too," Bruce surprisingly admits. Clark wasn't at all surprised at the revelation.

"She has that effect on people"

Bruce agrees. "If anything comes up, you'll be the first to know"

"Thanks." Clark shakes his hand and this time, there was no hesitancy. "Same here." As he was about to leave, Clark turns around and asks one more question.

"Bruce"

"Yes"

"Why a bat?"

"Growing up, bat's frightened me," he recalled from an earlier statement he gave to Alfred when he asked the question.

"And you figured to share the same dread with your enemies," Clark surmised.

Bruce is officially impressed, smiled and closed the door.

**To be continued…**


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Notes**: Joseph, tiny bits and pieces of his powers are used but not to the excess like when he's in Smallville. He's in Gotham City and he has to be a bit more careful there, and no, I made a point not to let Lois know about his Kryptonian lineage.

Marcus, it's always a pleasure to read your feedback. My reasoning from jumping conversations was to imply the fact that Lois and Clark are very much in tune with one another. It's an intentional move in my part.

Now, in regards to sharing his secret with Bruce. Frankly, Clark isn't obligated to. He will when it's absolutely necessary but if he can avoid having to share his extraterrestrial nature, he's not going to openly divulge it. Remember, this takes place post-Smallville, so he doesn't have the same insecurities about loneliness and solitude as he did as a freshman on the show.

**Origins - Chapter 17**

_Abandoned Warehouse_

"I want Lois Lane eliminated and I want her eliminated NOW!" A deep harsh voice commanded the two brothers that stood before him. Fear. An emotion just as strong as love, it's what he uses to survive every day. About the only thing he can depend on besides himself. This is his life, and he loves it.

"What about her cousin, boss?"

"Once Lane is out of the picture, take her out too," he responds coyly, fixing the wrinkles off his expensive suit. "Get it done boys"

"Why can't we do it right now?" Mark asks his brother.

His older brother slaps him upside the head. "Because little brother, she's our insurance," Roland says with brotherly annoyance. "Come on, let's go find Lane and get this over with"

_Lucius Fox's Home_

Sprawled out across the floor are files of papers and papers. Lois has spent most of the evening trying to find as many leads between Thorne and the Desmond Brothers. She believes that in order to find Chloe, she'll have to find one of them first.

"I've got take-out," Clark says, coming in from the front door.

Clark's been helping her with the investigation as well. Lois has always mused how useful he can be out in the field. Sometimes, she'd be amazed at his quick thinking, in the beginning, she didn't see him as the type but if Lucy was any indication, she's learned never to judge people to easily and always keep an open mind.

"Dammit!" she says, throwing her pen right on top of a stack of papers with force. Time is ticking and she is no where near to finding her cousin than she was when she first started.

Clark immediately darts behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders giving her a massage. Lois sighs and is grateful.

"I don't know what I would do without you," she lamented, eyes closed and her head falling back while Clark continues to work his magic.

"I'd do anything for you"

Her eyes still closed, she says, "That's sweet, but not entirely practical"

"You don't believe me?" His eyebrow creased watching Lois's lips turn to a smile. She opened her eyes; her only view is that of her boyfriend.

"I can prove it to you," Clark continues.

Lois smirked. "Prove it to me? Come on, Smallville. I didn't say it to be mean, I'm just being factual." She rested her hand behind his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. "Everything I need is right here," she says in a soft loving tone. She kisses him again. "Besides, how exactly would you be able to do everything for me?"

Clark grinned. "Giving you anything or everything means two entirely different things." He's dreamed of flying Lois across the world to any destination she desired. Bathing her with gifts from various cultures. He'd move a mountain for her; all she needed was to ask.

Moving her worries for Chloe aside for a moment, Lois responds with a smile. "Okay," she says, taking on his challenge. "How will you do anything for me?"

"Name it"

"You serious?" she says incredulously.

He nodded his response.

Feeling the weight of emotions for the last few days, there was one thing Lois needed from him in this moment.

"Make love to me," she whispered and Clark returned her request with a passionate kiss they've with held themselves for months. He lifted her and carried her up the stairs in his arms, making their way to her bedroom. They had the night to themselves.

Several hours later 2:00 am in the morning, Clark held Lois in his embrace as they slept soundly through the night. The previous hours' session left them exhausted.

Downstairs, two black cloaked figures professionally broke in through an open window. Security systems were disabled leaving the entire premise open to the surrounding neighborhood. They creep up the stairs, one holding a stun gun and another held a silencer.

Their movement caught Clark's sensitive hearing jolting his eyes awake. He looked over at Lois's sleeping form, kissing her on the cheek before getting up to investigate what was happening outside their door. Lucius was out for the night so Clark knew something was off.

As the two perpetrators walked softly up the stairs steps, Clark x-rayed through the floor and saw them and the weapons they carried and the first thought that came to his mind was protecting Lois.

He super speeds to their room.

"Lois," he whispers, waking a reluctant Lois.

"Clark," she responds softly. "It's too early"

"Lois, we're not alone," he tells her urgently and her eyes went wide open. She shot up from her bed.

"What?" she whispered.

"We gotta get you out of here," he says.

She throws him a weird look. "And what are you gonna do?"

"Please, don't argue with me right now." Clark's mind swirled with worried thoughts that he momentarily lost focus on the intruders.

"Clark – " the door busts open and two incredibly large men with weapons came into the room. They lifted their firearm and fired at her. Before Lois could react Clark moved in front of her blocking the impending bullets; his eyes locked onto a stunned Lois.

Clark's eyes began to glisten with tears.

"This isn't how I wanted you to know." His voice sounded broken, almost hollow before turning towards the hit men.

Lois felt numb. Uncertain. Confused, mostly numb as she watched the man she loves move to protect her. The sound of the gun was evident of their death but nothing happened. He kept his focus onto her until his broken words were shared with her.

And then he turned.

He faced the men with the firearms as they shot at him. Each bullet falling from his chest like he wasn't made of flesh at all.

He moved.

My God, the way he moved.

She didn't even blink and he moved so fast. The guns swiped from their grasp in a single movement. He wasn't the Clark she knew, but there he was protecting her.

She tried to open her mouth but no words were said.

One man tried to hold him but all Clark did is pushing him aside like he weighed nothing. The other man though is a bit stronger, picking Clark up and tossing him through the window.

She screamed. "CLARK!" She raced passed the men wearing nothing but Clark's long buttoned-up shirt with the goons close behind. She needed to know he was okay. To her surprise, he certainly was.

"You've got to get out of here Lois," he reached her, cupping her face with his hands. "The man's strong"

"So are you," she retorted in a low voice, subconsciously aware that her mind still worked while her emotions were in disarray.

"Stay behind me," he says, moving in front of her once again when the two men walked out of the house. The only light that illuminated both their presences was the moon.

"I see your boy has a few tricks on his sleeves too, huh," the goon taunted.

Clark remained unfazed.

"What do you want?"

Lois rolled her eyes despite the gravidity of the situation. "That's pretty obvious, Clark"

"Do you mind," he whispered to her. "I can handle this"

"He threw you off the roof," she reminded him, saying it out loud was more absurd than seeing it.

"Minor oversight," he quickly replied before turning his attention back on the two goons. It all started to make sense. "You're the Desmond Brothers"

The older man is not amused.

"I'm going to have to kill you too," he says with a smile.

"I'd like to see you try"

Lois is again even more surprised by the amount of confidence that Clark held in with his voice. She stepped back and looked at the man she has fallen in love with these past few months. All those times she had thought that they were extremely lucky to survive certain impossible situations, it's becoming abundantly clear to her now that it wasn't luck… it was her Smallville.

The older brother Roland raises his firearm and aims it towards Lois and shoots. Before Lois could react again, Clark holds his hand out; it was balled into a fist.

"What the…" Roland began to say.

Clark opened his hand, the bullet held in his grasp.

Lois is floored. "Whoa!" she was in awe. Clark turned and picked her up. Lois looked at him and then down. "What are you doing?" she says in a slight panic.

"I'm gonna fly you out of her"

"Oh." Processing his words. "What?" she yelled, but it was too late, Clark was already in the air while Lois is again for the third time tonight, stunned into silence.

**To be continued…**


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Notes**: Thanks Blah, Uhm.What, hopemaster (for the consistent review), Joseph Benjamin, Dani (Buddy, thanks). Teena, I'm incredibly appreciative that you've delurked. I'm pretty proud of that line too. It's only going to get interesting from here on in. I've introduced the relationships, now I'm going to see if I could semi-accomplish tying it all together. You all have been a blast to write for. Thanks for keeping up.

**Origins – Chapter 18**

Clark flew Lois to the roof of one of Gotham City's tallest buildings. He set her down gently, both pairs of feet firmly on the ground. Once Lois felt her legs, she went weak kneed and Clark holds onto her to keep her from falling down. Not as firm as he originally thought.

"Are you okay?"

Lois blinked once. Then twice. A quick chill ran inside her and Clark realizes that she's freezing.

"I'll be right back," Clark says, flying off again in a blur.

A moment later, he was back again. It was barely even a few seconds.

"Here." Clark wrapped the familiar red blanket she had used on him when they first met out in the cornfield around her cooling body. Lois hadn't taken the time to really analyze that night but after everything that's happened in the last few minutes, a wave of memories since she met him coursed through her mind.

It was all so overwhelming that Lois had to blink again.

"Lois," Clark spoke so softly.

Lois sunk to the floor, tugging the blanket tight around her as she looks out into the surrounding city of Gotham. It held as much history and architectural culture as Metropolis. She needed to think but she found herself incapable to.

"All this time," Lois started, unsure exactly where she was headed with this. Her eyes remained focused on the city. "I don't know what you want me to say"

Clark slowly sat besides her, making sure not to scare her away or anything. Not that he thought she was afraid of him, she just looked so lost and his heart sank because of it.

"I wanted to tell you," Clark says. "Ever since I realized I was in love with you I've wanted to tell you." When she continued to stare out into the city, he does the same.

"Why didn't you?" she mutters in a low voice.

"Everything was so perfect." Clark paused, struggling to say the next words. "I didn't want to risk it"

"That's a lie," Lois shot back, her eyes now meeting his with defiance. "It would never have changed how I felt. People don't just wake up in the morning and stop loving somebody"

"But what if it could?" he returned with equal vigor, the life he's led finally catching up with him. "That's what I've lived with my entire life. I can't just wake up and not feel these things. _I _Lois. There's no other people out there like me," he tries to explain as best he could without breaking down.

Lois's mind backtracked by the use of his words. He said people. "But the meteor shower?"

Clark shook his head; this was the moment of truth. "The meteor shower didn't cause this," Clark says, holding both his hands out, palms facing upward before him. "I caused the meteor shower"

Lois's eyes go wide by the unbelievable revelation.

"Clark," Lois says, her head tilting slightly in disbelief. "You can't blame yourself for what happened. It's not like you fell down with them"

Clark's eyes darted away from hers, the sparkle in his eyes from the night before completely gone. Only sadness remains in him.

"I did," he says in a whisper. Lois almost didn't hear it if it weren't for the wind carrying his voice towards her direction. The words _I did_ reverberated through her mind like an echo.

"What?"

"I'm not from around here Lois"

At this point, Lois truly didn't know what else to say.

About half an hour later, Clark has just finished telling Lois everything about himself. He told her how he came down from the sky during the first meteor shower and how his parents found him in a field with his spaceship – another revelation that made his entire story all the more real to Lois.

He told her about how his powers emerged all throughout grammar and high school, and how in some ways, he's still learning everything about them.

Clark held nothing back and told her everything. Jor-El. Lara. The Kawatche Caves. Everything. He felt a tremendous relief in telling her all these things, and even more relief that she didn't run away screaming from it.

Lois sat there and listened.

Clark knew he was telling her too much, but once he started, it all just poured out of him. He couldn't quite understand how he always had such a strong connection with her, and he mentally berated himself more than once that he should've done this a long time ago.

Clark always knew that he could trust her, and it was never about 'not' trusting her. It was about not trusting himself. He had made many mistakes all through-out high school; he didn't want a repeat performance that would cause her pain. He should've known by now that predicting the future is one gift he does not have.

"And that's pretty much everything"

Like before, Lois's blinked her reaction before giving a verbal response. "That's – a lot"

Clark chuckled but stopped immediately when Lois didn't do the same. At the moment he wasn't certain where they stood.

"Yeah – but that's who I am Lois, I can never change that"

Lois shot him a serious glare. "I would never change you," she tells him with no uncertain terms. "I would never want to," she added to prove her point.

"But," Clark says, waiting for the inevitable rejection.

"But what?"

"This the part you say that we should take some time apart, think things over, reassess," Clark figured one after another.

Lois rolled her eyes and then slapped him on the shoulder. Even now that she knew he doesn't physically feel it, it's the only way to get her point across.

"What?" she replies in disbelief. "You're pitying yourself again. I hate it when you do that. I really do"

Clark is briefly confused. "You mean – you and I – "

Lois held the urge to say 'duh' and opted for a more subtle approach. She takes his hands into hers. "It's going to take a little getting use to, but – you're still Smallville to me," she genuinely smiled. "No amount of alien superpowers is going to change that"

Clark let out a deep breath he was positive he's been holding for a while now. She accepted him. He truly felt like he could do anything now.

"You always have a way of surprising me, Lois," Clark comments sincerely and with a hint of awe in his blue eyes.

"Ah!" she ignored. "It's nothing compared to the flying. My shock aside. That was very cool," she admits to him proudly.

Clark chuckles again and this time she joined him. "You're still cold," he notices her shivering still.

Lois shrugs. "It'll pass in a bit"

Clark moves closer to her, cupping her cheek with one hand while the other stroked her shoulder. "May I?" he asks with his eyes, asking her for permission.

Lois's eyes go wide at the request. "You mean…" she makes a 'V' with her middle and forefinger, pointing to her eyes, then to his, then hers and back to his again. Clark couldn't help but smile. Lois had yet to see him use his heat vision and it's making her excited.

"Yeah," Clark says.

"So you weren't overemphasizing to impress me?"

Clark smirked. "Of course not"

"Will it hurt?" she asks suddenly in such an adorable manner.

Clark smiles. "I would never hurt you"

"I know," and then she closed her eyes tightly, leaving Clark more than a little amused.

"You don't have to close your eyes, Lois," Clark says assuring her that it won't hurt. He held her closer, brushing his finger across her eyes, asking her to open them. She does and she stares intently in his eyes, the love and care in them were stronger than ever. "You ready?"

Lois didn't say anything and simply nodded her response.

She watched as Clark's eyes glows a tiny red light within his pupils. He looked down on her and began releasing what felt to Lois like a gush of warm air. Her shivers calmed to a restful stop.

When it was over, Lois looks at him with a bit of amazement and mischief. "That kind of tingles"

Clark gazed away, slightly embarrassed. Lois catches on.

"Have you ever used that on – " Lois began but Clark already nodded his head with an answer. "Oh, I knew that felt familiar," she declared amusingly. "You know, not that I'm complaining or anything. Man, I'm think I like it better not knowing"

Clark shoots her a look and Lois immediately refutes.

"I didn't mean it that way – I meant – you and me – together – oh the hell with it," she laughed in the end, her bumbling attitude making her lose all confidence to explain appropriately.

They both laugh and after another moment of silence, it's finally followed by another serious discussion.

"What are we going to do about the Desmond Brothers?" Lois asks first.

Clark sighed. He had revealed himself in front of them without thinking through of the ramifications involved. He fears that they are already running a background check on him if they haven't already. It seems that they've been watching Lois for a while now and that left uncomfortable in terms of her safety.

"You were right about finding the link between Robert Thorne and the Desmond Brothers. They are working for him on some capacity"

"How did you know I was on Thorne's case?"

"Bruce told me," replied Clark.

"How exactly did Bruce know?" She slapped herself when she realized. "Oh right. Rachel. Of course. I've been working with her on the exact same thing"

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why didn't you?" she returned.

"Fair enough"

"Come on." Clark pulls her into his embrace. "We got to lay low somewhere that Thorne or the Brother's won't find you"

"And where's that?" Lois asks curiously.

Clark takes off with Lois in his arms. "Bruce Wayne," he says as they flew through the dark skies.

On the ground a few homeless onlookers in the street look up into the sky.

"What is that Bob?" he points to the sky.

"I dunno. A big bird I guess"

"Nah, looks like a plane," Bob says.

Another homeless man snuck out of his area and looked at the talking men. "Shut up, fellas, I'm trying to sleep! There probably just some kid hand gliding or something"

Bob and his friend just shrug and went back to huddling around the fire to stay warm and forgot all about the figure they saw flying in the sky.

**To be continued…**


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Notes**: I've got less than two weeks to finish Legacy, Metamorphosis and Origins before the new season comes. I don't want my attempt and a creative mind to be tinkered with. Great, I have a deadline to meet. I guess this means my three stories should be completed by Wednesday, September 28th. Argh! Wish me luck.

**Origins – Chapter 19**

"Can somebody tell me why you and I are in Wayne Manor?" Lois says as she followed Clark and Bruce through his home. They had arrived in front of his steps just a few seconds ago, leaving Lois baffled as to why Clark brought her there of all places.

Bruce's butler and friend, Alfred Pennyworth, appears leaving out of the veranda. "Oh. Hello Miss Lane," greeted Alfred in that serene and welcoming tone he always managed to present.

"Good evening, Alfred," Lois returned with a smile. She then glances at Clark, shrugging her shoulders, waiting for him to explain the plan.

"Bruce is helping us with the Thorne and Desmond case," Clark says.

Lois nods. "Yeah, I recall you mentioning that earlier before the…" she paused, carefully stopping her words before she revealed anything Clark didn't want her to. Lois attempts to make a subtle flying motion with her hands that looked more like a goose flapping its wings than a man flying. "Nevermind," she sighed.

"Alfred, could you get the guest rooms ready?"

"Right away, Master Bruce"

Lois scrunched her nose in consternation. "That's not necessary."

"Please, I insist," Bruce says. "Clark, tell her it's dangerous out there"

Clark shook his head. "You don't know Lois," he simply stated to Bruce.

"I must've missed a page or something." Lois puts herself in between the two men. "Since when are you two the best of friends?" she asks, curiosity getting the best of her.

Bruce and Clark looked at one another; Clark with a deer-caught-on-the-headlights look while Bruce carried that blank emotionless expression that broody men like him normally carry when he's not trying to seduce a woman.

"Well…" Lois waited. "I've got two mentally deranged criminals roaming around Gotham looking for a Lois Lane to play target practice with, and a cousin who's been missing for nearly 48 hours. Communication, people! Not getting a lot of it"

Clark gulped. It's not often that he experiences a woman taking charge, but watching his girlfriend take command of a situation like what they were having is a major turn on. That and she can easily intimidate him too.

"Bruce, why don't you explain," recommended Clark. He's already shared his secret with Lois, he wasn't about to spill the beans on the dark knight. It's not his secret to tell.

_Twenty Minutes Later_

Bruce finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Secret identity. By definition, it means the practice of hiding a person's identity so the actual identity of the person is not known or suspected. Within a span of a couple of days – no – within is span of a few hours, he has blown his identity to two people.

Two people he seldom really knew.

"Lois, are you okay?" Clark asks in concern. Bruce had just finished telling her and him for the second time about his alternate identity of the cape-fearing bat that protected Gotham City.

Lois looked up. "I don't know." She touched her temples in hopes to alleviate the headache that crept up on her all of the sudden. "Is it possible for information overload?"

"What do you mean by that?" Bruce asks.

Lois's eyes shot up staring directly into Clark's. "He doesn't know?" Clark shook his head.

"Know what?" Bruce says.

Lois kept glaring at her boyfriend. She understood his need for secrecy because Clark is literally not from around her, but everything is so new and overwhelming, she's liable to get an aneurism soon.

"Somebody better start talking," Bruce threatened verbally. There wasn't anything that he could do to make them talk, but he was certainly not going to back down so early in the game. It seems he isn't the only one harboring a secret.

"I'll tell you later"

Bruce sighed and Lois rolled her eyes. "Let's just find Chloe and put those son of a – "

"Your language, Miss Lane," Alfred interrupted, making her and Clark jump a little. The couple hadn't realized that there was an extra person till now.

"Sorry Alfred." Lois suddenly pictured herself sitting in the corner for misbehavior. She shook that thought out of her consciousness.

Bruce though, remained unfazed. "He does that often"

"I bet," Lois says.

_Thirty Minutes Later_

"Are you sure these are correct?" Lois looked over the blueprints, satellite photos and files and files of paper scattered throughout a big table.

"My informants swore to me they were accurate," Bruce mused.

"Uh-huh," Lois says not quite convinced.

"You're a hard woman to please," Bruce says.

Clark eyes him. "Do you mind?"

"What?" Bruce shrugs.

Lois leaned on the table and grabbed his collar, pulling him in. "Relax." She gives him a long lingering kiss on the lips to assure her boyfriend where she stands. "I'm yours remember"

"I needed a reminder," Clark grinned.

"Do you two need a room or something, I've got plenty rooms to spare?" Bruce half quipped and half serious.

Clark shied away, embarrassed leaving Lois amused that despite him being one of the most powerful beings on Earth basically, a single comment like the one Bruce made can make him so shy.

"Let's get this over with, I have a cousin who's gonna kick my proverbial ass if we take too long"

Lois speaks of Chloe Sullivan so adoringly that it leaves Bruce questioning what she's like in person. It won't be long though until he meets her.

"Ready?" Bruce looks between Lois and Clark.

They both nodded.

Bruce walked towards a fish tank, rolled up his sleeves and sunk it beneath the water. Lois and Clark exchange curious glances at his odd display until they noticed the book armored knight open up, leading to a separate room. An elevator space.

Clark's eyes go wide at how intricate Bruce made things to be.

Lois just looked through it, her mouth agape. "Now that's cool," she comments.

"I can still fly," Clark leaned in to her, whispering it by her ear.

"But you're cooler, Smallville," she whispered in return.

"Come on, my contact says that Thorne is meeting up with a couple of brothers in less that half an hour. We're to assume they're the Desmonds. We got to make some head way if we're going to catch them on time"

"What about the police?" Clark asks just for the sake of asking the question.

"Now there's a lost cause," Lois comments, but Bruce takes a little offense to that.

"There are some cops that actually care"

"Name one"

"Lieutenant Gordon"

"Name another"

"Uh…" Bruce is stumped. She got him there and Clark chuckled because of it. Annoyed, Bruce pushed the button of the elevator and they descended.

Upon exiting, Lois took it the surroundings. "Okay. I'm now officially impressed"

"It's about time," Bruce mumbled under his breath. Lois didn't hear him but Clark certainly did.

Bruce made his way through the large open expanse of his cave and approached a tall cylindrical case that stood 8 feet high with a diameter of six feet. As Bruce approached, the sensors kick up and the interior illuminated, making the contents within the casing light up.

Lois and Clark stand amazed. Lois speaks up first.

"That's…"

"Yeah"

"It's…"

"I know"

Once he was suited up, another section of the cave turned on and revealed his vehicle. Lois couldn't contain her excitement.

"Whoa. That thing's real," Lois pointed. She quickly moves towards Clark and whispers, "Maybe you could put on a costume too"

His eyes go wide. "Are you insane?"

"No, but I could be reality impaired," she answers but she didn't let the topic slide. "Come on! Why not give it a try?"

"I'm not wearing a costume"

"How about tights?"

Clark scoffs at the idea. "Especially not tights"

Lois sighed. "Just a thought"

"Why are you asking me anyway?" he wonders.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "It's apparent you spend half your time helping people; maybe it's about time you actually do something about it. I don't want you slipping one of these days and suffer because of it," she tells him sincerely.

The thought got Clark thinking. "We'll talk about this later"

"You're actually considering it"

"I don't want to be like Bruce," Clark says.

"Maybe not exactly like Bruce," Lois says, going over the possibilities of him appearing before the world without a mask. A man of his power shouldn't hide behind a mask; it'll scare people from believing that he helps without an agenda.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nevermind," she waved off.

"This conversation isn't over," Clark deemed. He wants to know where she's getting at with this idea.

"You two ready?" Bruce asks deck from top to bottom as Batman. He looked like an entirely different person with the outfit on.

Clark went inside to sit first as Lois sat on top of him, his arms circling around her. She whispers again, "You know, with a costume, we wouldn't have to share shotgun"

"Lois!"

"Just saying." Lois's eyes were diverted to the cool accessories inside the vehicle. "Nice!" she says loudly, playing with the stereo.

"Do you mind?" Batman says.

"Sorry. I forgot they were your toys"

"Kent, keep an eye on your girl," he ordered. This is why he worked alone.

"You got it," Clark replied with a smirk towards Lois.

**To be continued…**


	20. Chapter 20

**Origins – Chapter 20**

**Author's Notes**: Isn't life grand? No, not really. But, here's another installment of Origins. A mixture of quips, action and drama, hope it's not a total loss. Enjoy and when you've got the chance, please review if there's something to say. Words will do, some times even paragraphs. Have a good day.

_En route to Docks_

In the car, Lois continues her assessment on the billionaire's cool ass vehicle. "So what do you call this car anyway?" Lois asks. "Batcar? Batrider? Bombatstic? _The _Batmobile? Howard?"

Clark throws her a look to leave it alone but she ignored it. She wasn't teasing, she honestly wanted to know. Can't blame a girl for finding the entire superhero thing fascinating. Maybe after tonight she can throw in a tiny article in the Gotham Gazette about the dark knight prowling Gotham with his very expensive looking car, she mused.

"Haven't really thought about it," Bruce as Batman answered.

Batman reached for the center console and activated the built-in radar systems. "We're several clicks away. See the red?"

Lois and Clark nods.

Batman continued. "That means it's being guarded." He paused realizing the inevitable. "I should never have brought you two to this but since I know you'll find a way to get there anyway, I might as well have you both where I can see you"

"You don't have to worry about us," Clark assured him.

"He's not lying," Lois adds on Clark's behalf, but all Batman gave them was a skeptical look.

"I don't want you two to get yourselves killed. I've got enough in my conscience," Batman says with finality.

"I'm sorry to disappoint, Bruce, but Lois and I are going to do what we got to do"

"And how are you going to get through their defenses, exactly? These aren't college bullies or turf wars we're dealing with. Thorne is a criminal whose powerbase extends farther than the average dirty cop or petty thief"

"I've dealt with people like them before"

Batman has had enough of this and pushes on the brakes. If it wasn't for Clark's quick reflexes, Lois would probably have gone head first through his unbreakable windshield.

"What are you, crazy?" Lois spat out. After looking at his outfit one more time she realized what she just asked. "Don't answer that"

"There's more you're not telling me, I can tell that long before we left the mansion. What is it about you that you're not telling me, Kent?"

Lois looked away and Clark clenched his jaw. The initial shock gone, she is still getting used to the idea of her boyfriend being a super-powered alien from another planet. Clark on the other hand is just worried for everyone's safety, whether they knew about him or not.

One thing Clark knew for sure, he wasn't going to tell Bruce Wayne everything until they find Chloe. Luckily for him, Lois covered for him first.

"Look, when this is over, we'll answer your questions but right now, our focus is Chloe and I don't know about you but I'm anxious to get her back"

Batman breathed out before pressing on the gas. She was right, of course. Despite how worried he is that too many people know who he is now, he couldn't help but notice Lois and Clark's hands intertwine, as if holding onto each other is giving them the strength to move forward.

Bruce can't help but appreciate such a small and genuine action and only wished that he had that same affection with somebody.

Rachel is great. His best friend. His first love. But as adults, they grew apart. They were still the best of friends but it wasn't the same. He knew that wasn't a bad thing. Change. Next to loss, it's one of the worst experiences a person can go through. It'll either bring you up or take you all the way down. You can never know with change. It's very unpredictable.

_Empty Warehouse_

"Thirty two bottles of beer on the wall. Thirty two bottles of beer. Take one down. Pass it around. Thirty one bottles of beer on the wall. Thirty one UGH!" Chloe yelped in her cell. She's been down here for lords knows how long and still no sign of escape. 'Come on Lois. Surely you're not making me wait'

If anyone can find her, it's Lois and Clark together. She's never wished so much for Clark to be with Lois right now at this moment planning her rescue.

"This is what I get for saying 'no,'" she recalled to the other night when Lois insisted she stay at Uncle Luke's.

The knowledge of Lois and Clark being together was a shock. It still is but the sting lightened considering the situation she's in right now. After hours upon hours of internal thinking, she's come to realize that she's truly happy for them. Now if they can only get their butts down here and rescue her, all would be perfect.

Clark has probably told Lois his secret by now, so there's no excuse for her extreme lateness, she thought with a smile.

Lois and Clark.

Who would've thought?

_The Docks_

"Find your cousin, I'm going after Thorne," Batman ordered. They exited the vehicle that Bruce is against calling it the Batmobile. It sounded far too caricature for his tastes, and his car deserved better than that.

"Bruce," Lois calls out, using his real name instead of his alternate persona.

He turned reluctantly and faced her, sincerity shone across her eyes.

"Thank you"

He tried not to smile but did so anyway. Normally, this is the part that he claims no one should have to thank him for. But between her and Clark, he wanted to take credit.

"You're welcome"

Then he disappeared.

Lois looks at Clark with appreciation. "You've got to have a cape too"

"Lois!"

_Outside the Main Warehouse_

Clark led the way, scanning through walls and all kinds of solid materials in order to find the shortest path possible to Chloe. Lois cursed herself for not at least bringing in a weapon. God forbid, Bruce's lair was filled with all kinds of gadgetry.

"RAH!" Roland Desmond crashed straight through from the other wall pushing Clark down.

"Lois! Stay back!"

The guy was strong. A body builder on steroids is more like it. He threw Clark from one wall and then another, breaking anything that came in contact with him. Lois could do nothing but watch in horror while Desmond beats her boyfriend to death.

So she did the next thing instinct told her to, grabbed a loose pipe and beat him in the head with it.

Didn't work and Lois ends up flying towards Clark.

Lucky for her, he was conscious enough to see her coming and took the kind liberty to break her fall.

"Sorry honey"

"It's okay." He helped her up. "I'll handle this"

Clark super speeded towards Desmond, knocking him unconscious before throwing the only other power he had thought gave him little use since discovering it. He breathed out a strong smoke of 0 degree ice from his breath, encasing Desmond in a clear white ice cube that reached all the way up to his neck, exposing his face.

Lois thought she had seen all of it, but damn.

"I love my boyfriend"

_Lower Level_

With Batman's high tech equipment and Clark's x-ray capabilities, it didn't take long for the three to find her cousin. On the way there, they had split up. She was after Chloe, Bruce is after Thorne.

"CHLOE!" Lois screamed in relief when she caught Chloe in her line of sight. Clark literally broke the bar doors off its hinges leaving Lois amazed every time he used his gift. "Gotta love it"

Chloe sprinted towards Lois and Clark with a massive hug. Just as they thought it was going to be a touching moment, Chloe let them go and shoved them both on the shoulder.

"What took you guys so long?"

Lois and Clark gawked.

"What?"

"Come on"

"You didn't exactly leave bread crumbs for us to find"

"We came as fast as we could"

They bantered off one another with excuses, leaving Chloe highly amused. Lois crossed her arms and gave her dear cousin a deathly glare.

"That's so low, Chlo"

"Thanks, guys." Chloe smiled brightly. "I needed that"

Clark interrupts them. "Let's go you two, before they…" The goons approach from a rear entrance. "Come"

"What do we do now?" Chloe asks. Things always end up from bad to worse.

Lois eyed each of them before whispering, "You can always incinerate them with your heat vision, Clark"

Chloe chuckles at the thought while Clark sighs.

"I'm not going to incinerate them, Lois"

"Got a better idea"

On cue, Batman falls from the roof, his cape slowing his descent landing him perfectly on the ground. Several goons including the younger Desmond close in on him and Batman fights them off with strategic movement.

Jab. Punch. Hook. Front kick. Back hand. Roundhouse kick then a sweep. Batman was too quick leaving them all incapacitated in a matter of seconds. Chloe watched him with certain awe. Not since Clark has someone truly impressed her.

"Whoa. What the hell is that?" She asked Lois while pointing to the masked figure.

"Oh that. That's Batman," Lois says like it's the most normal thing in the world to say. Her younger cousin looks at her with an odd expression. "What?" Lois asks.

Chloe shook her mind off the guy in the black bat suit and turned her attention back to the current situation.

"So what's the plan, cuz?"

"Uh…" Lois looked around. "Give me a sec"

"Tell me you're kidding, Lo." Chloe looks at Clark. "She's kidding right?" She looks back at Lois. "Tell me you didn't bust your way in here and not have a plan"

"Hey!" she spun prepared to defend her integrity. "The Desmond Brother's tried to murder me a few hours ago; we were all under some serious time constraints." She turned to Batman who was busy tying the bad guys up.

"Batman!" Lois yelled for him, and then she looks at Chloe. "I'm never gonna get used to saying that and sound serious," she says before looking back at Batman. "Get my cousin out of here"

"What about you?" Chloe already didn't like this idea, but then again there was Batman to consider.

"Look, I know you think this isn't my fault, but I feel like it is"

"Lois. Don't worry," Chloe says. "I'm not mad at you. Can we talk about this later; there are people that's trying to kill us"

"Ladies, we've got to go," Clark says in between them. "It's better that we split up."

Batman appears by their side surprising Chloe.

"You take Chloe," Lois says pulling Chloe towards Batman.

"What? Why me?" Chloe argued before a strong arm wrapped itself around her face. She looked down and felt gravity leave her as Batman shot something up into the sky.

"Hold on!" he says.

It all happened so fast, Chloe could barely get a thought out.

As Batman and Chloe ascended from their view, Lois looked at Clark, a grateful sigh escaped her. "I love you"

Clark smiled. "I know." His super hearing caught he sound of police sirens closing into the area. With one last look at the unconscious criminals tied together in a bungle, he lifted Lois in his arms. "You ready?"

"It's my favorite part," she says with a grin.

Clark knelt down slightly before blasting off and out of the warehouse leaving nothing but a blur in his wake.

**To be continued…**


	21. Chapter 21

**Origins – Chapter 21**

_Inside The Batmobile_

"So…" Chloe sat vigilantly in the passenger seat of the dark knight's tank like vehicle. First thought that came to mind when she saw it was, 'what is that?' She was never really the automobile type and wondered briefly how the hell they were going to get away in that load of crap.

Once inside, she realized her earlier assumption was completely out on left field.

"Nice car," she says to his quiet veneer hoping to strike a conversation in an otherwise surreal situation. Chloe wondered where the heck Clark and Lois are, but then figured they were flying to where ever they were going to meet. Batman seems harmless enough, at least towards her.

Chloe makes a mental note to curse Clark for letting Lois fly with him instead of her, she feels totally out of the loop.

Batman remains silent and Chloe is now figuring out why Lois hated uncomfortable silences.

"How long have you known Lois and Clark?"

Still not a word from the man dressed like a bat. For a second, she contemplated the idea that maybe she was held captive for longer than she accounted for.

"You know, this really is a cool car. Kind of a cross between a Lamborghini and a Hummer isn't it?" Chloe almost caught a change in his expression despite the fact that he's wearing a mask.

"Okay, I'll just keep on talking to myself then," she sighed.

When she looked away Batman finally smiled, listening to her bumble on. He sensed traces of her cousin in her but they were very much the opposite. "This was originally called the Tumbler," he finally spoke, surprising Chloe in the process. She turned to him, giving this hero of hers her undivided attention.

"What's it called now?"

"Whatever anyone wants to call it," he says with a smile and Chloe smiled in return.

"That's nice of you." She wondered who the man behind the mask really is, but at the moment, she was digging the mystery. All of the sudden, cursing Lois and Clark for leaving her with him didn't seem to bother her at all.

_Flying above the clouds_

Lois is enraptured being held above the clouds as Clark fell into a calm cruising speed. "You sure we should've left Chloe with Bruce?"

"Don't you trust him?"

"I do," she replied honestly. "But Chloe barely knows the guy"

"Everyone will know everything soon enough"

"You ready for that?" she asks, knowing that as soon as they descended on the earth to meet with Bruce and Chloe that Clark will be revealing to the billionaire who he really is, or, to be specific, where he really came from. He is still Clark Kent to her.

"You took it well," he reminded her.

"That's because I'm sleeping with you," she says with a smirk. "It's an excellent ice-breaker"

Clark grinned and shook his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

Lois held onto him, brushing her hand through his wind blown hair. "For starters, you can warm me up," she smiled.

Now that's something he'll never tire of doing.

_Several Minutes Later_

'The Tumbler' speeded through the woods with immense speed finally jumping into a waterfall. For a brief moment, Chloe thought he was absolutely insane but then realized that it was all just a cover. In the end, she relaxed and that's all that mattered.

She exited the vehicle and was full out amazed at the underground construction. It still held the natural cave affect but Batman made countless modifications throughout various areas.

"You live here?"

Batman shook his head and looked passed her. "How did you two get here before we did?" he asks both Lois and Clark approaching them. Before he could get an answer though, Chloe ran towards them for another hugging session.

"I'm so glad you guys are all right"

"Right back at you cuz"

'Who is he?' Chloe mouthed to Lois silently about the masked figure. 'Wow,' she says making Lois roll her eyes and shrugs. "Hey," she says her volume picking up loud enough for the two heroes to hear. "I'm gonna give her the tour, why don't you two talk a bit"

She pulled Chloe away and Chloe watched the two curiously, wondering what exactly is going on. In a matter of minutes, everyone will know everything.

_Quiet Area in the Batcave_

"Are you telling me that you just learned about Clark a few days ago?" Chloe asks once more in apparent disbelief. She had thought she knew for a while now about where Clark came from.

Lois nods.

"So you two – you know – we're getting inv – "

"Sex! Chloe, say it with me," Lois teased and the two ladies laughed. "Yes, we've gone there long before his gifted display at Uncle Luke's"

"And that didn't bother you?" Chloe was fascinated and amazed at how well her cousin was handling things.

"How can I hold it against him when I love him too much?" Lois tries to explain. "Yeah, it shocked me but – after everything that's happened between us – I can't blame him for wanting to protect himself and the people around him"

"Wow, you're really handing this well"

"Oh, I'm overwhelmed. I still am, in fact. And even though he neglected to tell me about that part of himself before he and I gave in to instinct, in the end, I wasn't hurt by it." Lois paused. "Are you really sure it's okay talking about Clark like this with you?"

"Of course it is, I've had some intense self-therapy while I was locked up"

"Because, I can always work around it"

"Lois." She hugged her cousin for dear life. "I love you, and I love Clark. That's all that matters"

The let go and Chloe's nose scrunched up. "How do you think Clark and Batman are holding up?" Chloe still didn't know the identity of the dark knight.

Lois grins. "I'm sure Batman's getting an earful"

_Cut to Bruce and Clark_

"So let me get this straight," Bruce removed his masked, Clark Kent's revelation made his suit too tight to be in. He was floored by what he shared. "You're an alien?" Clark nods. "From another planet?" Clark nods again.

Bruce breathed, leaning back on a nearby table. That's a lot to take in.

"I knew you were weird but – "

"Thanks," Clark says feigning hurt.

"An alien," Bruce says again. "That sucks"

Clark is confused. "Why?"

"I'm going to have to better my toys just so I can keep up with you," he smiles at Clark.

In that moment, the two realized in silent confirmation that they were a part of something great, something that to most people are intangible, to them were plain in sight to see. A true friendship was born that night.

Two men, one man helping to protect those who can't protect themselves, and another who serves the people anyway he can.

After a moment, Lois and Chloe appeared, Chloe gasping in surprise at the man behind the mask.

"You're Bruce Wayne," she says, her voice full of shock.

Lois smirked. "I see introductions aren't necessary." She crossed the two to make her way towards Clark. "How'd it go?" she whispered to his ear.

"Better than I thought," he whispered in return, his eyes full of love and hope. "We're going to be okay"

They look back to Bruce who was now engaged in an animated discussion with Chloe. They seem to be hitting it off.

In the distance, Alfred Pennyworth watches the two couples interact all the while nodding his approval.

"It's about time to see some light underneath all this darkness"

He takes a look at them once more before disappearing upstairs. Dinner for four, it sounds just about right.

**The End**

**Author's Notes**: So… what'dya think? I covered the necessary dialogue and avoided the obvious ones because Clark telling Lois about himself once was enough, I didn't want to do a redux. Chloe, of course, has been over her crush on Clark and was simply processing the Lois & Clark relationship that was intentionally hidden from her and the rest of Smallville.


End file.
